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: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $728 in Campina Grande.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,144 in Campina Grande.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,560 in Campina Grande.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 79% more expensive than in Campina Grande, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Campina Grande 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$4.29 R$21.97

178.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$29.19 R$150

62.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$6.81 R$34.89

72.54%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$0.99 R$5.08

316.16%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.01 R$5.18

38.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.57 R$2.90

59.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.54 R$7.88

108.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.19 R$11.23

222.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.19 R$6.12

41.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.56 R$8.01

37.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.09 R$5.60

62.39%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.82 R$9.34

54.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$6.76 R$34.63

36.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$4.19 R$21.50

120.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$7.84 R$40.18

61.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.40 R$7.15

110.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.34 R$6.89

17.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$0.79 R$4.04

181.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.24 R$6.36

90.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.22 R$6.23

63.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.10 R$5.64

80.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.51 R$2.61

143.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.69 R$3.51

75.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$1.78 R$9.14

158.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$7.77 R$39.84

35.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.10 R$5.66

53.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$1.52 R$7.81

82.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.97 R$4.97

-38.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$38.46 R$197

-22.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.90 R$4.63

482.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.76 R$3.89

380.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$3.41 R$17.49

69.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.19 R$6.12

29.41%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$19.2K R$98.6K

18.51%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$32.3K R$165.6K

-20.08%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$112 R$575

-19.17%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$9.49 R$48.64

165.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$17.23 R$88.3

84.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$18.88 R$96.8

264.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$28.74 R$147

2.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$4.90 R$25.14

-0.82%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$83.0 R$426

171.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$11.6K R$59.3K

-63.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$37.04 R$190

27.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$27.49 R$141

58.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$71.5 R$366

12.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$42.76 R$219

113.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$255 R$1,305

326.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$193 R$990

111.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$591 R$3,027

233.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$341 R$1,750

275.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$389 R$1,996

98.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

129.00%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Campina Grande: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $255 in Campina Grande. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 99% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $29.00 in Campina Grande for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $169 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 79% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 99% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $255 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 $29.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $728 in Campina Grande – a 79% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $728 in Campina Grande versus $1,305 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 79% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.