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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,129 in Caranavi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,526 in Caranavi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,922 in Caranavi.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 12% more expensive than in Caranavi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Caranavi 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$2.49 BOB 30.13

370.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$7.05 BOB 85.3

49.08%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$3.42 BOB 41.33

4.97%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.72 BOB 8.65

109.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.53 BOB 6.37

73.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.43 BOB 17.25

106.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.22 BOB 38.96

36.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.48 BOB 17.87

27.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$2.88 BOB 34.87

-45.83%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$0.86 BOB 10.35

203.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$1.92 BOB 23.21

334.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$5.94 BOB 71.9

82.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.44 BOB 41.58

-21.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.75 BOB 21.21

-13.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.42 BOB 17.13

31.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.17 BOB 14.17

87.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.07 BOB 12.89

73.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.75 BOB 9.02

197.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.00 BOB 12.14

9.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$3.24 BOB 39.15

29.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$3.61 BOB 43.65

188.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.19 BOB 26.53

-24.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$4.38 BOB 52.9

-40.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.49 BOB 5.97

10.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$14.33 BOB 173

82.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$1.48 BOB 17.91

108.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.77 BOB 21.40

35.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$14.24 BOB 172

-78.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$14.7K BOB 177.8K

102.80%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$100 BOB 1,210

-18.74%

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

$22.56 MX$390

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$67.6 BOB 818

-55.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$14.56 BOB 176

263.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$21.58 BOB 261

-14.78%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$6.49 BOB 78.5

-24.19%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$147 BOB 1,782

36.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$2,947 BOB 35.7K

75.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$30.71 BOB 372

30.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$50.5 BOB 611

57.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$71.4 BOB 864

21.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$871 BOB 10.5K

12.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$580 BOB 7,014

-18.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$1,167 BOB 14.1K

41.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$962 BOB 11.6K

25.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$225 BOB 2,716

201.39%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Caranavi: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $871 in Caranavi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 201% 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 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 201% 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: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $871 in Caranavi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 80% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,129 in Caranavi – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,129 in Caranavi versus $1,260 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 12% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.