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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $915 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,420 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,925 in Calarasi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 38% more than Calarasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Calarasi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Calarasi 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$9.14 RON 41.90

26.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$34.76 RON 159

35.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$8.21 RON 37.65

44.70%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$2.22 RON 10.19

79.28%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$1.95 RON 8.93

-26.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$1.71 RON 7.85

-52.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$1.69 RON 7.73

88.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.52 RON 6.95

346.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$1.52 RON 6.97

10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$0.97 RON 4.45

126.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$1.61 RON 7.40

6.21%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$2.85 RON 13.05

-3.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$7.91 RON 36.27

21.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.31 RON 19.78

109.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$8.69 RON 39.82

47.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$1.17 RON 5.35

147.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$1.47 RON 6.73

2.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$1.31 RON 6.00

64.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$1.51 RON 6.92

49.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$0.46 RON 2.10

330.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$0.64 RON 2.92

210.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$0.42 RON 1.92

192.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$0.78 RON 3.59

53.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$6.44 RON 29.54

-29.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$4.51 RON 20.67

129.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$0.99 RON 4.53

63.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$1.45 RON 6.67

98.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$0.45 RON 2.08

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

$13.15 RON 60.3

119.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$0.64 RON 2.92

742.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$0.69 RON 3.17

440.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$6.67 RON 30.57

-13.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$1.68 RON 7.70

-8.33%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$29.6K RON 135.8K

-23.89%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$25.7K RON 118.0K

1.23%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$161 RON 736

-43.07%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$6.75 RON 30.95

273.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$6.95 RON 31.85

349.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$50.1 RON 229

34.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

$54.6 RON 250

-46.64%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$8.60 RON 39.43

-43.49%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$413 RON 1,892

-45.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$6,198 RON 28.4K

-31.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$76.7 RON 352

-38.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$21.77 RON 99.8

103.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$96.9 RON 444

-17.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$99.0 RON 454

-6.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$334 RON 1,533

217.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$202 RON 924

93.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$435 RON 1,994

394.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$336 RON 1,541

278.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

$1,232 RON 5,650

224.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

$982 RON 4,501

562.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$772 RON 3,538

-1.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

7.85

45.86%

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 Calarasi: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $334 in Calarasi. 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 2% higher in Calarasi, 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 $35.00 in Calarasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $172 – making Calarasi 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 Calarasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, $915 in Calarasi – roughly 38% 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 $1,372 in Calarasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $413 in Calarasi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 60% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Calarasi, where all-in costs run around $915, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Calarasi 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 $915 in Calarasi 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 Calarasi. 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.