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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,080 in Campina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,611 in Campina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,142 in Campina.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 16% more expensive than in Campina, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Campina 19% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Campina
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.99 MX$210
$10.03 RON 45.78
19.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.78 MX$731
$42.84 RON 196
-2.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.75 MX$188
$6.92 RON 31.60
55.35%
Cappuccino
$3.50 MX$61.1
$2.65 RON 12.10
32.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45 MX$25.33
$1.96 RON 8.96
-26.02%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 MX$15.47
$1.73 RON 7.92
-49.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.95 MX$51.6
$2.37 RON 10.81
24.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.51 MX$78.9
$3.36 RON 15.34
34.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Campina
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$25.04
$1.46 RON 6.68
-2.05%
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 MX$32.13
$1.17 RON 5.33
57.26%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.57 MX$27.42
$1.57 RON 7.18
-
Eggs
$2.51 MX$43.92
$3.34 RON 15.24
-24.85%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.28 MX$145
$8.60 RON 39.27
-3.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.43 MX$147
$6.98 RON 31.87
20.77%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.68 MX$187
$8.80 RON 40.16
21.36%
Apples (1kg)
$2.61 MX$45.62
$1.20 RON 5.49
117.50%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 MX$25.15
$1.42 RON 6.49
1.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.96 MX$34.31
$1.29 RON 5.88
51.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.09 MX$36.62
$2.23 RON 10.16
-6.28%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 MX$32.37
$0.81 RON 3.71
128.40%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 MX$37.90
$0.87 RON 3.98
149.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 MX$18.04
$1.06 RON 4.86
-2.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 MX$18.78
$0.89 RON 4.06
20.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.10 MX$71.7
$5.89 RON 26.91
-30.39%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.17 MX$178
$6.96 RON 31.78
46.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 MX$29.29
$0.93 RON 4.24
80.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 MX$44.17
$1.43 RON 6.53
76.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Campina
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$8.90
$0.95 RON 4.35
-46.32%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.04 MX$455
$20.18 RON 92.1
29.04%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 MX$56.5
$0.78 RON 3.56
314.10%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.41 MX$42.06
$0.75 RON 3.42
221.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 MX$56.5
$5.91 RON 26.99
-45.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 MX$23.10
$1.60 RON 7.29
-17.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K MX$519.2K
$24.5K RON 111.6K
21.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.7K MX$413.7K
$26.7K RON 121.7K
-11.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Campina
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.0 MX$1,434
$141 RON 642
-41.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.95 MX$401
$8.86 RON 40.44
159.03%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.11 MX$527
$11.45 RON 52.3
162.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Campina
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.0 MX$909
$63.3 RON 289
-17.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.53 MX$324
$19.37 RON 88.4
-4.34%
Cinema Ticket
$4.98 MX$87.0
$6.73 RON 30.70
-26.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Campina
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$197 MX$3,452
$418 RON 1,906
-52.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,336 MX$93.3K
$6,921 RON 31.6K
-22.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Campina
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.60 MX$622
$84.2 RON 384
-57.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.33 MX$705
$43.34 RON 198
-6.95%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.8 MX$1,377
$85.1 RON 388
-7.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9 MX$1,555
$98.4 RON 449
-9.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Campina
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$947 MX$16.6K
$392 RON 1,789
141.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$474 MX$8,288
$290 RON 1,325
63.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,644 MX$28.7K
$578 RON 2,639
184.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,211 MX$21.2K
$433 RON 1,977
179.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,056 MX$70.9K
$1,992 RON 9,091
103.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,470 MX$113.1K
$1,402 RON 6,402
361.32%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Campina
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$654 MX$11.4K
$713 RON 3,256
-8.32%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
6.5
75.69%

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: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $392 in Campina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Campina pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $43.00 in Campina. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $204, with Campina cheaper for home cooking.

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: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Campina?
Campina wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Campina the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Playa del Carmen or in Campina?
On paper, salaries run 9% lower in Campina. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen compared to Campina?
Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $392 in Campina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Campina?
Dining out is cheaper in Campina – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Playa del Carmen compared to Campina?
All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,080 in Campina – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Playa del Carmen or in Campina?
At $1,080 in Campina versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Campina but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Campina the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Campina?
Both work as nomad bases, but Campina delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,080 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Campina hard to pass up.
How safe is Playa del Carmen compared to Campina?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Campina are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Campina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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