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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $670 in Cariacica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,024 in Cariacica, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,378 in Cariacica, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 88% more than Cariacica, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Cariacica are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Cariacica 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$3.19 R$15.87

265.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$12.38 R$61.5

238.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$4.28 R$21.25

142.99%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$0.89 R$4.40

305.62%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$0.92 R$4.57

59.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$0.55 R$2.75

65.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$1.06 R$5.28

185.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$1.82 R$9.03

145.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$0.80 R$3.97

72.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$1.50 R$7.45

22.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$0.87 R$4.30

85.06%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$1.46 R$7.28

76.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$7.40 R$36.77

14.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$3.21 R$15.93

164.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$6.25 R$31.04

75.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$1.40 R$6.95

95.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$0.88 R$4.38

70.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$0.61 R$3.01

221.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$1.15 R$5.70

84.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$0.99 R$4.93

87.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$1.36 R$6.76

59.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$0.38 R$1.86

181.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.52 R$2.57

101.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$1.63 R$8.10

157.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$7.72 R$38.34

33.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$0.92 R$4.59

81.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$1.27 R$6.31

96.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$1.03 R$5.12

-47.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$38.01 R$189

-30.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$0.83 R$4.12

273.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$0.71 R$3.54

246.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$2.93 R$14.57

10.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$1.01 R$5.04

24.75%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$14.3K R$71.2K

110.58%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$26.6K R$132.2K

-11.83%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$90.8 R$451

-7.46%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$14.16 R$70.4

56.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$17.36 R$86.3

70.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$17.43 R$86.6

202.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$21.31 R$106

-13.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$7.85 R$39.02

-36.94%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$422 R$2,097

-52.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$6,577 R$32.7K

-19.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$37.40 R$186

-3.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$25.55 R$127

56.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$26.64 R$132

195.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$24.75 R$123

249.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$317 R$1,578

207.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$220 R$1,094

113.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$591 R$2,938

169.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$427 R$2,121

184.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$1,691 R$8,403

138.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$1,193 R$5,929

451.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$400 R$1,986

78.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.38

10.02%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Cariacica: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $317 in Cariacica. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 79% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $12 in Cariacica. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $146 – making Cariacica the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Cariacica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 88%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,004 in Cariacica. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cariacica, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $12.00 in Cariacica. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $670 in Cariacica. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cariacica, where all-in costs run around $670, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Cariacica it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cariacica – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Cariacica. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.