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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,051 in Calafat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,530 in Calafat, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,009 in Calafat, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 20% more than Calafat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Calafat are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Calafat 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$7.85 RON 35.96

47.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$37.73 RON 173

24.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.61 RON 34.86

56.11%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.15 RON 9.85

85.12%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$1.59 RON 7.29

-10.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.93 RON 4.26

-11.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$1.08 RON 4.94

195.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.03 RON 9.28

234.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.20 RON 5.51

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$0.80 RON 3.66

175.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$1.41 RON 6.47

21.28%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$2.43 RON 11.13

12.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$7.14 RON 32.70

34.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.81 RON 31.21

32.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$6.47 RON 29.63

97.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$1.03 RON 4.71

180.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.57 RON 7.19

-4.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$1.35 RON 6.18

59.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$1.58 RON 7.23

43.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$0.65 RON 2.96

204.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$0.79 RON 3.64

151.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$0.78 RON 3.60

57.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.74 RON 3.41

62.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$5.65 RON 25.89

-19.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$6.79 RON 31.12

52.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$0.93 RON 4.28

74.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$1.56 RON 7.12

84.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.79 RON 3.60

-24.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$22.67 RON 104

27.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$0.58 RON 2.64

829.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.53 RON 2.43

603.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$6.74 RON 30.86

-14.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.58 RON 7.23

-2.53%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$27.3K RON 125.0K

-17.35%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$27.2K RON 124.4K

-4.07%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$204 RON 935

-55.23%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$7.64 RON 35.01

229.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$6.66 RON 30.50

369.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$40.90 RON 187

64.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$21.36 RON 97.8

36.28%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$7.62 RON 34.93

-36.22%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$438 RON 2,007

-48.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$8,568 RON 39.2K

-50.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$59.0 RON 270

-20.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$44.26 RON 203

0.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$82.2 RON 377

-2.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$88.7 RON 406

4.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$409 RON 1,874

159.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$302 RON 1,385

29.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$636 RON 2,913

238.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$474 RON 2,172

168.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$1,939 RON 8,882

106.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$1,406 RON 6,440

362.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$849 RON 3,891

-10.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

90.83%

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 Calafat: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $409 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 12% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $38.00 in Calafat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $175 – 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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, $1,051 in Calafat – roughly 20% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,577 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 $1,266 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 27% 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 $1,266. 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 $1,266 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.