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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,052 in Calafat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,550 in Calafat, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,048 in Calafat, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 22% more than Calafat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Calafat are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Calafat 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$9.08 RON 39.60

31.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$42.09 RON 184

1.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$7.87 RON 34.31

34.56%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.27 RON 9.89

59.47%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.88 RON 3.84

67.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.90 RON 3.94

4.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.13 RON 4.91

173.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.12 RON 9.24

110.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.29 RON 5.62

10.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.89 RON 3.87

111.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.46 RON 6.38

11.64%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.58 RON 11.25

2.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$7.37 RON 32.12

11.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.49 RON 28.29

27.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$7.03 RON 30.65

57.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.16 RON 5.07

128.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.58 RON 6.89

-5.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.39 RON 6.07

43.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.62 RON 7.07

28.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.68 RON 2.96

163.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.77 RON 3.38

183.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.80 RON 3.47

35.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.79 RON 3.43

31.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$5.71 RON 24.91

-30.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$6.24 RON 27.22

63.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$0.96 RON 4.18

80.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.06 RON 8.97

21.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.68 RON 2.95

-23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$20.15 RON 87.9

33.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.57 RON 2.47

450.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.54 RON 2.37

344.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$6.78 RON 29.57

-54.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.55 RON 6.75

-18.06%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$28.1K RON 122.5K

9.94%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$27.6K RON 120.4K

-15.59%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$211 RON 921

-61.20%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$8.07 RON 35.20

178.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$7.09 RON 30.92

318.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$41.04 RON 179

26.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$18.87 RON 82.3

-1.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$6.64 RON 28.94

-25.15%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$430 RON 1,873

-53.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$9,050 RON 39.5K

-41.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$79.0 RON 345

-54.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$37.35 RON 163

7.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$78.9 RON 344

1.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$85.6 RON 373

3.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$394 RON 1,716

144.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$289 RON 1,261

60.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$589 RON 2,567

171.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$440 RON 1,920

174.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$2,061 RON 8,984

91.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,400 RON 6,105

360.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$873 RON 3,808

-17.51%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Calafat: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $394 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 21% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $42.00 in Calafat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $180 – 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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $1,052 in Calafat – roughly 22% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,578 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,052 in Calafat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 34% 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 $1,052, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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 $1,052 in Calafat to $1,287 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.