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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,006 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,518 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,030 in Calarasi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 28% more than Calarasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Calarasi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Calarasi 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$10.06 RON 43.74

18.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$27.69 RON 120

54.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$7.65 RON 33.26

38.43%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$2.68 RON 11.66

35.07%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$1.48 RON 6.44

-0.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$1.87 RON 8.13

-49.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$2.23 RON 9.72

38.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$3.38 RON 14.72

31.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.42 RON 6.17

0.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$1.10 RON 4.78

70.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$1.76 RON 7.66

-7.39%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$3.29 RON 14.31

-19.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$8.95 RON 38.92

-8.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$7.10 RON 30.88

16.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$9.08 RON 39.51

22.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$1.16 RON 5.07

128.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$1.48 RON 6.44

1.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$1.33 RON 5.81

49.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$1.88 RON 8.20

10.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$0.75 RON 3.26

138.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$0.88 RON 3.85

147.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$0.71 RON 3.08

52.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.85 RON 3.70

22.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$5.63 RON 24.50

-29.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$4.49 RON 19.51

127.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$0.99 RON 4.29

74.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$1.36 RON 5.91

83.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.48 RON 2.07

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

$14.08 RON 61.3

91.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$0.67 RON 2.90

368.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$0.62 RON 2.68

287.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$5.79 RON 25.18

-46.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.59 RON 6.91

-20.13%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$24.9K RON 108.3K

24.01%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$26.8K RON 116.6K

-13.03%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$149 RON 648

-44.93%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$8.35 RON 36.33

168.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$7.52 RON 32.70

294.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$69.7 RON 303

-25.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$19.43 RON 84.5

-3.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$5.85 RON 25.44

-15.04%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$432 RON 1,879

-54.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$6,852 RON 29.8K

-23.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$84.0 RON 365

-56.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$42.91 RON 187

-6.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$73.6 RON 320

8.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$97.5 RON 424

-8.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$389 RON 1,692

147.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$229 RON 997

102.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$581 RON 2,527

174.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$370 RON 1,608

226.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

$1,261 RON 5,484

212.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

$1,013 RON 4,408

536.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

$779 RON 3,387

-7.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.62

72.51%

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 Calarasi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $389 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 8% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $28.00 in Calarasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $198 – 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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $1,006 in Calarasi – roughly 28% 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 $1,509 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 $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $432 in Calarasi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% 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 $1,006, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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 $1,006 in Calarasi 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 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.