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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,570 in Atlantida, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,548 in Atlantida, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,525 in Atlantida, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 20% cheaper than Atlantida, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Atlantida is 18% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$20.68 UYU 831

-42.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$61.7 UYU 2,480

-32.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$12.24 UYU 492

-12.17%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$3.56 UYU 143

-1.69%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.74 UYU 69.8

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.02 UYU 41.10

-13.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.85 UYU 114

3.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.47 UYU 139

29.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.04 UYU 41.90

37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$3.18 UYU 128

-42.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.42 UYU 57.1

10.56%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$3.95 UYU 159

-36.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$13.25 UYU 532

-37.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$9.47 UYU 380

-10.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$10.38 UYU 417

2.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.37 UYU 95.2

10.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.26 UYU 90.9

-36.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.27 UYU 51.2

54.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.74 UYU 110

-23.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.68 UYU 67.4

10.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.06 UYU 82.6

5.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.16 UYU 46.66

-11.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.72 UYU 69.0

-37.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$4.84 UYU 195

-15.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$6.86 UYU 276

48.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.30 UYU 92.3

-26.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.50 UYU 100

1.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$2.70 UYU 109

-81.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$45.79 UYU 1,840

-43.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$2.00 UYU 80.6

61.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.51 UYU 60.9

59.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$17.52 UYU 704

-81.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.90 UYU 76.5

-30.53%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$39.0K UYU 1.6M

-23.80%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$37.6K UYU 1.5M

-37.11%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$85.3 UYU 3,428

-3.85%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$28.92 UYU 1,162

-20.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$31.70 UYU 1,274

-5.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$62.2 UYU 2,499

-16.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$17.21 UYU 692

7.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$11.71 UYU 471

-57.47%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$486 UYU 19.5K

-59.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$8,864 UYU 356.2K

-39.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$88.3 UYU 3,548

-59.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$42.99 UYU 1,728

-6.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$206 UYU 8,268

-61.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$121 UYU 4,846

-26.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$744 UYU 29.9K

27.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$516 UYU 20.7K

-8.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$1,296 UYU 52.1K

26.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$973 UYU 39.1K

24.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,022 UYU 81.3K

100.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,522 UYU 61.1K

325.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$527 UYU 21.2K

24.10%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Atlantida: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $744 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 24% 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 $62.0 in Atlantida. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $291 – 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 25%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,356 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 $62.0 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,570 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 $1,256, than in Atlantida at $1,570. 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.