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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,075 in Castro, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,630 in Castro, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,184 in Castro, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 17% more than Castro, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Castro are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Castro 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$8.77 CLP 8,183

36.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$44.44 CLP 41.5K

-5.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$8.03 CLP 7,500

33.87%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.84 CLP 2,655

23.24%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.30 CLP 1,215

11.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.06 CLP 992

-16.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$3.16 CLP 2,952

-6.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$4.14 CLP 3,864

8.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.13 CLP 1,053

26.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.48 CLP 1,379

24.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.38 CLP 1,284

13.77%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$4.44 CLP 4,142

-43.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$10.17 CLP 9,493

-18.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.33 CLP 4,042

94.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$8.89 CLP 8,296

20.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.43 CLP 1,339

82.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.33 CLP 2,173

-38.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.58 CLP 1,475

24.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.10 CLP 1,958

-0.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.23 CLP 1,148

50.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.36 CLP 1,267

59.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.21 CLP 1,132

-14.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.22 CLP 1,138

-12.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$5.28 CLP 4,933

-22.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$7.92 CLP 7,390

28.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.55 CLP 1,442

8.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.21 CLP 2,060

14.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.75 CLP 702

-32.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.48 CLP 448

572.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.36 CLP 1,272

-2.94%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$19.6K CLP 18.3M

51.52%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$21.7K CLP 20.2M

9.20%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$129 CLP 120.8K

-36.61%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$13.38 CLP 12.5K

71.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$21.73 CLP 20.3K

38.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$39.23 CLP 36.6K

32.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$21.09 CLP 19.7K

-12.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$5.49 CLP 5,129

-9.29%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$433 CLP 404.5K

-54.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$51.1 CLP 47.7K

-30.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$30.65 CLP 28.6K

31.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$61.7 CLP 57.6K

27.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$82.8 CLP 77.3K

7.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$474 CLP 442.3K

99.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$369 CLP 344.3K

28.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$882 CLP 823.5K

86.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$623 CLP 581.9K

94.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$636 CLP 594.0K

2.77%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Castro: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 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 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $44.00 in Castro. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $220 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 17% 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,613 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,075 in Castro. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $433 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 $1,075, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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 $1,075 versus $1,256 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.