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: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,500 in Cartago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,128 in Cartago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,757 in Cartago.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 15% less than in Cartago, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Cartago is 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$7.76 ₡3,508

52.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$31.28 ₡14.1K

37.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$9.08 ₡4,101

17.29%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.82 ₡1,724

-9.69%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.02 ₡913

-25.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$1.24 ₡561

-23.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.94 ₡877

56.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$4.62 ₡2,086

-0.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.97 ₡889

-29.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$2.16 ₡977

-14.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$2.16 ₡976

-25.46%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.91 ₡1,313

-11.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$7.76 ₡3,506

6.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$8.96 ₡4,046

-6.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$13.75 ₡6,214

-22.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$4.46 ₡2,015

-41.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.20 ₡544

24.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$3.90 ₡1,763

-50.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$2.71 ₡1,223

-22.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$2.04 ₡920

-8.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$2.05 ₡925

10.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.01 ₡458

4.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.94 ₡875

-43.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$5.30 ₡2,395

-21.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$15.38 ₡6,951

-32.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.54 ₡1,149

-32.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.82 ₡820

43.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$1.05 ₡477

-48.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$69.2 ₡31.3K

-61.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.40 ₡633

123.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.87 ₡845

34.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$7.87 ₡3,558

-59.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.46 ₡661

-13.01%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$37.2K ₡16.8M

-18.37%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$33.1K ₡15.0M

-28.80%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$47.76 ₡21.6K

73.79%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$26.03 ₡11.8K

-12.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$57.8 ₡26.1K

-49.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$57.7 ₡26.1K

-11.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$23.52 ₡10.6K

-22.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$6.41 ₡2,896

-23.09%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$496 ₡224.2K

-60.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$7,129 ₡3.2M

-25.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$61.9 ₡28.0K

-40.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$50.9 ₡23.0K

-21.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$109 ₡49.2K

-26.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$79.8 ₡36.0K

12.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$751 ₡339.3K

27.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$588 ₡265.8K

-18.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$753 ₡340.4K

118.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$751 ₡339.4K

63.05%

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

$1,335 ₡603.2K

-50.04%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Cartago: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $751 in Cartago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cartago 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.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $31.00 in Cartago. Groceries flip the comparison at $250 vs $314, 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 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cartago earns 100% 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: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $751 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 $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $496 in Cartago. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,500 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 18% less than in Cartago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.