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: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,108 in Caranavi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,525 in Caranavi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,942 in Caranavi.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 15% more expensive than Caranavi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Caranavi 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$2.54 BOB 17.41

367.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$7.28 BOB 49.85

46.29%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.28 BOB 22.45

5.18%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.77 BOB 5.25

94.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.49 BOB 3.35

93.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.43 BOB 9.82

111.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$3.32 BOB 22.76

38.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.46 BOB 10.02

26.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$2.82 BOB 19.29

-42.91%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$0.90 BOB 6.13

187.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$1.92 BOB 13.17

335.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$5.90 BOB 40.39

80.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.37 BOB 23.10

-21.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.75 BOB 12.00

-14.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.41 BOB 9.68

36.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.15 BOB 7.88

81.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.10 BOB 7.56

69.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.71 BOB 4.87

218.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.04 BOB 7.14

4.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$3.14 BOB 21.48

32.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$5.64 BOB 38.65

84.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.23 BOB 15.28

-22.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$4.34 BOB 29.71

-39.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.49 BOB 3.37

10.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$14.38 BOB 98.5

87.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.41 BOB 9.64

121.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.73 BOB 11.84

45.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$14.53 BOB 99.5

-78.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$14.5K BOB 99.4K

109.41%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$102 BOB 699

-18.69%

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

$22.71 MX$390

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$65.5 BOB 449

-55.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$14.75 BOB 101

245.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$21.86 BOB 150

-16.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$6.51 BOB 44.61

-24.27%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$148 BOB 1,011

33.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$2,856 BOB 19.6K

84.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$30.18 BOB 207

32.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$50.6 BOB 347

58.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$73.6 BOB 504

21.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$887 BOB 6,075

7.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$573 BOB 3,923

-16.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$1,175 BOB 8,047

40.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$968 BOB 6,633

26.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$363 BOB 2,489

83.57%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Caranavi: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $887 in Caranavi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 84% 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 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 84% 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: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $887 in Caranavi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 74% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,108 in Caranavi – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,108 in Caranavi versus $1,271 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 15% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.