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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,078 in Castro, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,662 in Castro, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,246 in Castro, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 20% more than Castro, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Castro are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Castro 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$8.44 CLP 7,548

38.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$45.13 CLP 40.4K

-7.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.22 CLP 7,351

29.44%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$2.80 CLP 2,505

25.71%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.36 CLP 1,221

11.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$1.06 CLP 946

-8.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$3.32 CLP 2,966

-11.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$4.19 CLP 3,749

6.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.09 CLP 979

26.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.51 CLP 1,354

25.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.38 CLP 1,237

18.84%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$4.32 CLP 3,863

-41.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$10.05 CLP 8,990

-17.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$4.33 CLP 3,877

92.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$8.78 CLP 7,854

22.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.48 CLP 1,327

75.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.43 CLP 2,174

-39.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.59 CLP 1,420

19.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$2.11 CLP 1,888

-1.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.20 CLP 1,072

48.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.42 CLP 1,268

54.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.28 CLP 1,142

-18.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.23 CLP 1,103

-12.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$5.37 CLP 4,803

-24.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$8.45 CLP 7,557

22.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.54 CLP 1,376

11.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.23 CLP 1,994

15.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.76 CLP 682

-32.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.48 CLP 425

579.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.38 CLP 1,230

-5.07%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$19.3K CLP 17.3M

56.96%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$21.0K CLP 18.8M

11.44%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$131 CLP 117.3K

-36.80%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$13.36 CLP 12.0K

66.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$22.24 CLP 19.9K

31.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$38.17 CLP 34.1K

35.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$21.55 CLP 19.3K

-14.99%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$5.77 CLP 5,162

-12.13%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$443 CLP 396.1K

-54.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$51.6 CLP 46.1K

-28.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$30.17 CLP 27.0K

31.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$62.4 CLP 55.9K

25.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$82.2 CLP 73.6K

5.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$474 CLP 424.2K

105.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$366 CLP 327.3K

27.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$885 CLP 791.5K

85.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$630 CLP 563.5K

93.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$685 CLP 612.8K

-3.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.18

120.46%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Castro: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $474 in Castro. 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 3% higher in Castro, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $45.00 in Castro. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $221 in Castro – so Castro wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Castro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 20% more than Castro, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,617 in Castro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,078 in Castro. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $443 in Castro. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Castro, where all-in costs run around $1,078, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Castro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Castro costs $1,078 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Castro. 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.