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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,039 in Calafat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,539 in Calafat, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,038 in Calafat, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 21% more than Calafat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Calafat are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Calafat 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$9.15 RON 41.62

28.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$42.16 RON 192

-0.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$7.86 RON 35.73

33.72%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.35 RON 10.70

52.77%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.88 RON 4.00

71.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.89 RON 4.05

3.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.12 RON 5.09

164.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.08 RON 9.46

112.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.30 RON 5.89

7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.84 RON 3.81

123.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.49 RON 6.76

4.70%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.50 RON 11.35

4.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$7.60 RON 34.57

9.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.75 RON 30.68

23.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.03 RON 31.94

54.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.13 RON 5.16

139.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.59 RON 7.22

-5.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.42 RON 6.44

31.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.58 RON 7.17

38.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.66 RON 3.00

181.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.83 RON 3.77

168.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.84 RON 3.83

27.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.73 RON 3.34

49.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$5.92 RON 26.94

-29.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$6.55 RON 29.77

59.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$0.96 RON 4.36

72.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.13 RON 9.69

22.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.67 RON 3.04

-19.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$19.92 RON 90.6

31.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.60 RON 2.71

413.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.50 RON 2.26

380.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$7.00 RON 31.81

-55.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.57 RON 7.12

-16.56%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$28.4K RON 129.0K

5.01%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$27.6K RON 125.7K

-15.64%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$206 RON 938

-60.60%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$8.14 RON 37.00

177.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$6.99 RON 31.77

329.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$41.99 RON 191

26.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$19.47 RON 88.5

-5.55%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$6.42 RON 29.21

-23.36%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$432 RON 1,962

-53.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$8,832 RON 40.2K

-41.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$78.0 RON 354

-53.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$37.32 RON 170

7.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$79.5 RON 362

0.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$85.7 RON 390

0.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$393 RON 1,786

148.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$296 RON 1,346

58.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$595 RON 2,705

177.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$434 RON 1,974

177.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$1,762 RON 8,009

124.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,245 RON 5,662

430.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$819 RON 3,724

-17.39%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Calafat: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $393 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $42.00 in Calafat. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $182 in Calafat – so Calafat 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 Calafat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, $1,039 in Calafat – roughly 21% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,559 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,039 in Calafat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 31% 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 $1,039, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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 $1,039 in Calafat to $1,260 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.