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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $931 in Castro, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,474 in Castro, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,016 in Castro, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 40% more than Castro, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Castro are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Castro 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$8.30 CLP 7,815

44.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$47.78 CLP 45.0K

-0.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$6.02 CLP 5,662

95.18%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$1.63 CLP 1,531

152.76%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.31 CLP 1,232

6.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$1.10 CLP 1,031

-17.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$5.43 CLP 5,106

-40.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$7.38 CLP 6,941

-4.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.09 CLP 1,022

54.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$3.86 CLP 3,628

-44.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.31 CLP 1,230

35.11%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$4.25 CLP 3,997

-33.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$10.03 CLP 9,443

-8.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$4.32 CLP 4,070

113.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$8.54 CLP 8,035

48.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.47 CLP 1,380

100.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$2.31 CLP 2,171

-31.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.63 CLP 1,538

36.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$2.09 CLP 1,965

12.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.22 CLP 1,145

63.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.57 CLP 1,480

-21.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.64 CLP 1,540

-26.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$3.96 CLP 3,729

16.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$7.86 CLP 7,401

33.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.06 CLP 997

59.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$3.26 CLP 3,069

-15.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.74 CLP 700

-18.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.40 CLP 1,321

10.00%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$15.8K CLP 14.9M

44.02%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$19.4K CLP 18.3M

32.88%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$137 CLP 129.0K

-33.86%

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

$25.19 MX$427

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$31.49 CLP 29.6K

0.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

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

$226 MX$3,828

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$85.2 CLP 80.2K

-5.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$376 CLP 353.8K

188.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$301 CLP 282.9K

35.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$1,054 CLP 991.6K

87.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$619 CLP 582.8K

106.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$643 CLP 605.1K

20.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

63.57%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Castro: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $376 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 20% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $48.00 in Castro. Groceries tell a different story – $278 in Playa del Carmen vs $244 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 40% more than Castro, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,396 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $931 in Castro. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Castro, where all-in costs run around $931, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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 $931 versus $1,305 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.