Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Caxias do Sul Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Caxias do Sul

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $661 in Caxias do Sul, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,085 in Caxias do Sul, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,509 in Caxias do Sul, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 96% more than Caxias do Sul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Caxias do Sul are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Caxias do Sul 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$6.33 R$32.05

85.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$26.77 R$135

55.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.35 R$32.11

67.56%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$1.28 R$6.47

175.00%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.11 R$5.63

36.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.66 R$3.34

46.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.84 R$9.30

60.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$3.55 R$17.97

25.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$0.81 R$4.11

70.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.27 R$6.45

48.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$0.86 R$4.35

90.70%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.73 R$8.77

45.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$6.40 R$32.40

30.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$3.40 R$17.19

145.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.93 R$40.14

35.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.43 R$7.23

81.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$0.92 R$4.66

58.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$0.52 R$2.65

265.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.44 R$7.27

44.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.89 R$4.50

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.65 R$3.30

236.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.71 R$3.57

46.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.59 R$2.98

83.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$1.98 R$10.02

106.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$4.08 R$20.62

152.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$0.99 R$5.01

72.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.87 R$9.48

37.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$1.24 R$6.26

-58.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$40.38 R$204

-34.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$1.59 R$8.04

105.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$1.06 R$5.36

134.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$5.38 R$27.24

-39.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.04 R$5.28

25.96%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$24.7K R$125.1K

22.49%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$27.2K R$137.6K

-13.83%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$50.7 R$256

63.55%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$14.39 R$72.8

54.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$18.21 R$92.1

61.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$24.09 R$122

114.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$53.3 R$269

-65.60%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$6.25 R$31.64

-18.88%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$314 R$1,587

-35.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$7,080 R$35.8K

-26.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$42.85 R$217

-13.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$39.19 R$198

1.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$80.9 R$409

-3.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$64.1 R$324

35.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$179 R$903

444.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$146 R$737

221.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$439 R$2,221

273.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$259 R$1,313

370.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$1,744 R$8,824

126.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$1,242 R$6,282

423.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$558 R$2,821

19.07%

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 2, 2026

Last update for Caxias do Sul: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $179 in Caxias do Sul. 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 19% 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 $27.00 in Caxias do Sul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $144 – making Caxias do Sul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Caxias do Sul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $661 in Caxias do Sul – roughly 96% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $992 in Caxias do Sul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 53% less in Caxias do Sul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $314 in Caxias do Sul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Caxias do Sul, where all-in costs run around $661, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Caxias do Sul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $661 in Caxias do Sul to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Caxias do Sul. 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.