Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Campina Grande Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Campina Grande

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $617 in Campina Grande.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,040 in Campina Grande.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,464 in Campina Grande.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 110% more expensive than Campina Grande, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Campina Grande 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.53 R$17.69

232.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$26.69 R$134

55.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.17 R$30.88

72.45%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$0.93 R$4.63

278.49%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.01 R$5.04

49.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.52 R$2.63

86.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.57 R$7.87

87.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.00 R$10.00

122.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.04 R$5.23

32.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.20 R$6.00

57.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.02 R$5.09

60.78%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.59 R$7.97

57.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.62 R$33.11

25.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.61 R$18.05

131.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$6.63 R$33.16

61.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.06 R$10.31

26.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$0.93 R$4.64

56.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$0.87 R$4.37

118.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.09 R$5.47

90.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.87 R$4.35

104.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.99 R$4.96

121.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.57 R$2.83

82.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.55 R$2.77

96.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$1.65 R$8.26

147.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$7.76 R$38.81

32.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.42 R$7.11

20.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.95 R$9.75

32.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.88 R$4.41

-42.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$35.63 R$178

-25.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.84 R$4.18

288.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.68 R$3.39

266.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$8.77 R$43.89

-62.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.03 R$5.17

27.18%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$17.7K R$88.5K

71.25%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$24.5K R$122.5K

-4.26%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$43.27 R$217

91.52%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$7.90 R$39.55

181.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$14.14 R$70.8

107.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$18.81 R$94.1

174.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$21.65 R$108

-15.38%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$4.61 R$23.07

9.98%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$135 R$675

48.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$4,303 R$21.5K

21.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$41.93 R$210

-11.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$28.75 R$144

38.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$69.8 R$349

12.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$35.78 R$179

143.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$300 R$1,500

224.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$177 R$887

163.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$709 R$3,547

131.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$411 R$2,057

197.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$496 R$2,480

696.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$393 R$1,966

1554.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$441 R$2,206

50.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

26.89%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Campina Grande: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $300 in Campina Grande. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 51% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $27.00 in Campina Grande for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $155 per month, with Campina Grande cheaper across the board.

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 Campina Grande: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Campina Grande is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 110% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 51% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $300 in Campina Grande. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Campina Grande – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $617 in Campina Grande – a 110% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $617 in Campina Grande versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Campina Grande but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Campina Grande the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Campina Grande is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Campina Grande gentler on the wallet – expenses run 110% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.