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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,007 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,502 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,996 in Calarasi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 29% more than Calarasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Calarasi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Calarasi 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$10.04 RON 45.20

16.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$27.75 RON 125

50.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$7.87 RON 35.43

32.27%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$2.69 RON 12.11

34.20%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$1.54 RON 6.92

-5.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$1.88 RON 8.49

-48.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$2.25 RON 10.12

29.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$3.37 RON 15.16

37.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.34 RON 6.03

6.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$1.06 RON 4.75

79.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$1.77 RON 7.95

-11.30%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$3.28 RON 14.79

-19.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$8.96 RON 40.33

-5.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$6.92 RON 31.17

23.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$9.00 RON 40.55

22.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$1.16 RON 5.23

132.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.42 RON 6.39

6.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$1.32 RON 5.95

44.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$1.96 RON 8.82

10.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$0.82 RON 3.67

128.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$0.90 RON 4.05

147.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.71 RON 3.22

52.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.82 RON 3.68

30.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$5.80 RON 26.13

-28.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$4.38 RON 19.75

134.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$0.92 RON 4.15

82.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$1.36 RON 6.12

86.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.45 RON 2.01

22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$13.85 RON 62.4

89.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$0.72 RON 3.23

344.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$0.61 RON 2.75

303.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$5.79 RON 26.06

-44.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.60 RON 7.19

-17.50%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$25.4K RON 114.4K

18.74%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$27.7K RON 124.6K

-15.45%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$147 RON 663

-44.71%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$8.32 RON 37.47

169.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$7.61 RON 34.27

293.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$69.5 RON 313

-25.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$18.85 RON 84.9

-2.44%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$6.16 RON 27.74

-16.23%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$419 RON 1,889

-51.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$7,063 RON 31.8K

-24.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$83.4 RON 375

-57.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$42.55 RON 192

-5.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$74.4 RON 335

5.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$96.6 RON 435

-10.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$382 RON 1,719

148.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$230 RON 1,036

107.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$593 RON 2,669

173.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$371 RON 1,670

229.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$1,231 RON 5,543

225.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$984 RON 4,431

557.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$772 RON 3,476

-12.82%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $382 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 15% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $28.00 in Calarasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $195 – 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: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, $1,007 in Calarasi – roughly 29% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,510 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 $202 per month in Playa del Carmen and $419 in Calarasi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% 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 $1,007, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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 $1,007 in Calarasi to $1,294 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.