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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,094 in Caranavi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,491 in Caranavi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,887 in Caranavi.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 18% more expensive than Caranavi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Caranavi 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$2.49 BOB 17.25

379.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$7.43 BOB 51.4

42.53%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.30 BOB 22.81

9.70%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.76 BOB 5.25

93.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.49 BOB 3.42

91.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.41 BOB 9.77

119.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.30 BOB 22.84

35.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.47 BOB 10.20

27.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$2.84 BOB 19.67

-42.61%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$0.88 BOB 6.12

200.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$1.87 BOB 12.95

343.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$5.92 BOB 40.95

87.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.29 BOB 22.77

-19.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.76 BOB 12.18

-14.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.42 BOB 9.85

40.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.15 BOB 7.93

80.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.06 BOB 7.33

68.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.76 BOB 5.24

186.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.05 BOB 7.26

-0.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$3.21 BOB 22.25

23.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.21 BOB 15.31

-21.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$4.40 BOB 30.44

-43.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.53 BOB 3.68

-1.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$14.23 BOB 98.5

89.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.43 BOB 9.92

119.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.76 BOB 12.16

36.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$14.71 BOB 102

-78.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$14.6K BOB 101.2K

111.14%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$99.6 BOB 690

-17.69%

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

$22.45 MX$393

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$65.4 BOB 452

-54.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$14.36 BOB 99.4

261.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$21.79 BOB 151

-14.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$6.50 BOB 45.01

-23.54%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$147 BOB 1,015

34.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$2,871 BOB 19.9K

83.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$30.99 BOB 214

29.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$50.0 BOB 346

59.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$73.4 BOB 508

21.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$879 BOB 6,079

9.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$571 BOB 3,948

-18.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$1,176 BOB 8,141

35.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$978 BOB 6,766

23.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$361 BOB 2,498

99.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Caranavi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $879 in Caranavi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 100% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 Caranavi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Caranavi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 100% 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: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $879 in Caranavi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 89% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,094 in Caranavi – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,094 in Caranavi versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Caranavi but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Caranavi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Caranavi 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.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Caranavi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Caranavi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.