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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,465 in Atlantida, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,318 in Atlantida, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,171 in Atlantida, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 14% cheaper than Atlantida, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Atlantida is 7% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$14.88 UYU 598

-22.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$36.72 UYU 1,476

28.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$12.31 UYU 495

-3.49%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$3.09 UYU 124

28.80%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.91 UYU 76.9

-25.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$1.18 UYU 47.42

-30.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$2.81 UYU 113

13.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.57 UYU 144

90.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.32 UYU 53.1

27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.62 UYU 105

-16.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.42 UYU 57.0

20.42%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$4.37 UYU 176

-37.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$12.14 UYU 488

-21.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$7.90 UYU 317

14.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$10.79 UYU 434

18.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.82 UYU 113

2.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.16 UYU 86.7

-30.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.14 UYU 46.00

88.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$2.92 UYU 117

-22.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.72 UYU 69.3

15.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.02 UYU 81.0

-1.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.29 UYU 52.0

-4.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.91 UYU 76.9

-37.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$4.79 UYU 193

-5.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$6.98 UYU 281

48.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.79 UYU 71.9

-9.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.53 UYU 102

13.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$2.18 UYU 87.6

-72.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$49.84 UYU 2,003

-42.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$2.43 UYU 97.7

121.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$3.49 UYU 140

6.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$9.80 UYU 394

-41.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$2.00 UYU 80.3

-23.00%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$36.0K UYU 1.4M

-37.30%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$37.0K UYU 1.5M

-29.53%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$86.2 UYU 3,464

6.01%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$23.62 UYU 949

6.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$31.86 UYU 1,280

-1.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$63.2 UYU 2,539

6.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$17.24 UYU 693

68.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$11.87 UYU 477

-59.06%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$496 UYU 19.9K

-54.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$6,750 UYU 271.3K

-37.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$75.0 UYU 3,013

-37.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$75.8 UYU 3,045

-41.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$164 UYU 6,573

-51.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$119 UYU 4,763

-21.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$662 UYU 26.6K

60.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$481 UYU 19.3K

-18.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,240 UYU 49.8K

73.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$873 UYU 35.1K

45.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$2,005 UYU 80.6K

99.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$1,485 UYU 59.7K

337.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$523 UYU 21.0K

44.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

14.50%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Atlantida: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $662 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 45% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $37.00 in Atlantida. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $282 in Atlantida – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 16%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,198 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $37.00 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,465 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 $1,266, than in Atlantida at $1,465. 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.