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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,051 in Calafat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,557 in Calafat, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,063 in Calafat, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 23% more than Calafat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Calafat are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Calafat 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$9.12 RON 41.06

28.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$41.25 RON 186

1.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$8.00 RON 36.05

30.13%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$2.32 RON 10.46

55.60%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.93 RON 4.20

56.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.87 RON 3.94

11.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$1.13 RON 5.11

158.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$2.04 RON 9.21

126.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.29 RON 5.83

10.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$0.90 RON 4.05

111.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$1.51 RON 6.81

3.97%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$2.54 RON 11.45

3.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$7.68 RON 34.60

9.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$6.78 RON 30.52

26.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$6.78 RON 30.56

62.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$1.18 RON 5.33

128.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.62 RON 7.30

-6.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$1.35 RON 6.10

41.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$1.58 RON 7.11

37.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$0.66 RON 2.97

183.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$0.83 RON 3.76

168.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.79 RON 3.55

36.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.75 RON 3.36

42.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$5.93 RON 26.72

-29.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$5.99 RON 26.98

71.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$0.97 RON 4.35

73.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$2.04 RON 9.20

24.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.67 RON 3.04

-17.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$19.50 RON 87.8

34.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$0.61 RON 2.73

424.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$0.50 RON 2.25

392.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$6.93 RON 31.20

-53.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.60 RON 7.19

-17.50%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$27.7K RON 124.7K

8.89%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$27.0K RON 121.7K

-13.41%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$207 RON 932

-60.68%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$8.16 RON 36.73

174.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$6.89 RON 31.05

334.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$41.66 RON 188

23.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$19.37 RON 87.2

-5.06%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$6.50 RON 29.29

-20.62%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$442 RON 1,990

-54.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$8,885 RON 40.0K

-40.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$78.1 RON 352

-54.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$37.49 RON 169

7.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$77.8 RON 350

1.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$86.0 RON 387

1.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$395 RON 1,778

140.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$289 RON 1,300

65.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$591 RON 2,661

174.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$433 RON 1,952

182.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$2,097 RON 9,445

91.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$1,434 RON 6,458

351.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$830 RON 3,738

-18.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

90.33%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Calafat: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $395 in Calafat. 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 23% higher in Calafat, 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 $41.00 in Calafat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $181 – making Calafat 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 Calafat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, $1,051 in Calafat – roughly 23% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,576 in Calafat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $1,051 in Calafat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 35% less in Calafat. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Calafat, where all-in costs run around $1,051, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. In Calafat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,051 in Calafat to $1,294 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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