Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Atlantida Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Atlantida

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,584 in Atlantida, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,563 in Atlantida, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,543 in Atlantida, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 18% cheaper than Atlantida, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Atlantida is 18% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$21.16 UYU 852

-44.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$60.5 UYU 2,437

-31.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$12.25 UYU 494

-13.14%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$3.49 UYU 141

0.86%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.78 UYU 71.6

-15.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$1.06 UYU 42.55

-8.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.75 UYU 111

7.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$3.52 UYU 142

26.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.06 UYU 42.57

30.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$3.19 UYU 128

-40.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.35 UYU 54.5

21.48%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$3.76 UYU 151

-33.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$13.04 UYU 525

-36.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$9.49 UYU 382

-12.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.34 UYU 416

3.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$2.41 UYU 97.2

7.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.37 UYU 95.4

-38.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.28 UYU 51.5

48.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$2.67 UYU 107

-22.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.65 UYU 66.5

7.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$2.04 UYU 82.2

7.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.17 UYU 47.20

-11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.78 UYU 71.8

-39.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$4.89 UYU 197

-16.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$7.52 UYU 303

37.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$2.37 UYU 95.6

-27.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.48 UYU 99.9

4.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$2.76 UYU 111

-81.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$46.31 UYU 1,865

-42.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$2.02 UYU 81.2

61.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$1.52 UYU 61.1

63.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$17.53 UYU 706

-81.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.97 UYU 79.2

-33.50%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$39.4K UYU 1.6M

-23.17%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$38.1K UYU 1.5M

-38.46%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$82.9 MX$1,436

$85.7 UYU 3,453

-3.35%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$22.22 MX$385

$29.21 UYU 1,176

-23.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$31.42 UYU 1,265

-6.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$60.3 UYU 2,426

-14.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$16.98 UYU 684

7.89%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$11.73 UYU 472

-56.78%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$201 MX$3,480

$489 UYU 19.7K

-58.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$8,704 UYU 350.5K

-40.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$90.7 UYU 3,652

-59.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$41.74 UYU 1,681

-4.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$211 UYU 8,486

-62.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$122 UYU 4,918

-28.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$752 UYU 30.3K

29.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$519 UYU 20.9K

-9.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,291 UYU 52.0K

27.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$973 UYU 39.2K

25.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$2,035 UYU 82.0K

93.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$1,498 UYU 60.3K

333.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$530 UYU 21.3K

25.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

14.20%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Atlantida: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $752 in Atlantida. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 25% higher in Playa del Carmen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $61.0 in Atlantida. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $292 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Playa del Carmen vs Atlantida: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Atlantida is pricier by about 22%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,376 in Atlantida. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $61.0 in Atlantida. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,584 in Atlantida. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Atlantida at $1,584. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Atlantida it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Atlantida makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.