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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $625 in Campina Grande.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,054 in Campina Grande.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,483 in Campina Grande.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 101% more expensive than in Campina Grande, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Campina Grande 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$3.50 R$17.87

242.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$26.73 R$137

56.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$6.46 R$33.00

66.41%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$0.88 R$4.49

297.73%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$1.01 R$5.15

43.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.53 R$2.68

66.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$1.58 R$8.08

86.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$2.03 R$10.36

122.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.00 R$5.13

43.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$1.26 R$6.42

46.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.01 R$5.15

55.45%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.58 R$8.05

58.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$6.38 R$32.63

29.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$3.55 R$18.14

137.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$6.94 R$35.46

53.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$2.16 R$11.03

20.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$0.89 R$4.53

61.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$0.82 R$4.18

139.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$1.10 R$5.64

90.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.86 R$4.38

115.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$1.01 R$5.15

114.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.55 R$2.83

87.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.56 R$2.84

91.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$1.63 R$8.33

151.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$7.61 R$38.90

33.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.41 R$7.20

19.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$2.04 R$10.40

24.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.92 R$4.69

-44.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$36.13 R$185

-27.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$0.80 R$4.08

303.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.64 R$3.26

276.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$8.94 R$45.68

-63.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$0.97 R$4.95

36.08%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$17.9K R$91.5K

65.79%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$24.4K R$124.8K

-3.12%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$42.84 R$219

91.43%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$8.15 R$41.66

181.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$14.59 R$74.6

106.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$18.62 R$95.2

179.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$21.27 R$109

-12.88%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$4.42 R$22.57

12.67%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$135 R$691

45.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$4,277 R$21.9K

24.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$41.40 R$212

-14.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$28.56 R$146

41.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$68.1 R$348

15.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$36.31 R$186

144.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$293 R$1,496

223.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$172 R$881

175.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$711 R$3,636

131.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$399 R$2,039

203.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$492 R$2,514

724.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$392 R$2,002

1551.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$421 R$2,154

55.14%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Campina Grande: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $293 in Campina Grande. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 55% 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 101% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 55% 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $293 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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $625 in Campina Grande – a 101% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $625 in Campina Grande versus $1,256 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 101% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.