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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,476 in Cartago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,142 in Cartago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,808 in Cartago.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 13% less than in Cartago, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 4% below, Cartago is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$7.93 ₡3,605

50.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$31.36 ₡14.3K

36.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$9.11 ₡4,145

16.25%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.95 ₡1,794

-8.35%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$2.03 ₡922

-27.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.23 ₡558

-23.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.03 ₡922

52.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$4.75 ₡2,160

-6.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.97 ₡897

-27.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$2.23 ₡1,016

-15.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$2.25 ₡1,025

-27.56%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.98 ₡1,354

-11.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$7.76 ₡3,531

5.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$9.05 ₡4,115

-8.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$13.45 ₡6,118

-17.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$4.54 ₡2,065

-41.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.16 ₡527

29.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$3.94 ₡1,791

-49.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$2.76 ₡1,254

-24.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.96 ₡893

-8.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.04 ₡926

6.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.97 ₡442

11.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.95 ₡885

-46.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$5.38 ₡2,445

-26.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$15.32 ₡6,964

-33.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.51 ₡1,140

-31.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.83 ₡830

36.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$1.03 ₡468

-49.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$69.4 ₡31.5K

-61.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.41 ₡639

122.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.85 ₡841

29.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$7.87 ₡3,581

-60.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.45 ₡660

-12.41%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$37.8K ₡17.2M

-18.24%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$33.0K ₡15.0M

-29.39%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$47.45 ₡21.6K

72.83%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$25.90 ₡11.8K

-13.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$57.2 ₡26.0K

-48.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$56.2 ₡25.5K

-7.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$24.30 ₡11.0K

-23.17%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$6.36 ₡2,892

-21.86%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$507 ₡230.5K

-60.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$7,204 ₡3.3M

-26.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$62.3 ₡28.3K

-41.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$52.2 ₡23.7K

-23.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$111 ₡50.6K

-28.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$80.0 ₡36.4K

11.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$767 ₡348.7K

25.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$586 ₡266.4K

-20.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$740 ₡336.3K

115.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$774 ₡352.0K

56.16%

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

$1,331 ₡605.4K

-45.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

14.20%

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 Cartago: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $767 in Cartago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cartago pays 85% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $31.00 in Cartago. Groceries flip the comparison at $251 vs $315, with Playa del Carmen 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 Cartago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cartago earns 85% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $767 in Cartago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 157% less than in Cartago. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $507 in Cartago. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,476 in Cartago, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Cartago. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cartago, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Cartago 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Cartago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.