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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $669 in Criciuma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,005 in Criciuma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,341 in Criciuma.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 88% more expensive than in Criciuma, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Criciuma 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$5.05 R$25.73

137.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$21.31 R$109

96.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$5.16 R$26.26

108.33%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.21 R$6.16

189.26%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.89 R$4.53

62.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.57 R$2.89

54.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.65 R$8.38

78.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$1.49 R$7.57

202.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.88 R$4.48

62.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.24 R$6.30

48.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$0.98 R$5.00

60.20%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.83 R$9.34

37.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$7.74 R$39.43

6.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.16 R$16.10

166.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$6.59 R$33.55

62.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.86 R$9.45

40.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$0.83 R$4.25

73.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$0.92 R$4.68

113.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.27 R$6.49

64.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.00 R$5.09

85.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.99 R$5.02

119.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.65 R$3.33

58.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.62 R$3.17

72.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$2.49 R$12.69

64.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$4.88 R$24.82

108.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.03 R$5.24

63.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.31 R$6.66

93.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.93 R$4.72

-45.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$32.24 R$164

-19.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.41 R$2.08

687.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.06 R$5.39

127.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$2.13 R$10.86

51.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.04 R$5.30

26.92%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$19.8K R$100.7K

50.06%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$25.4K R$129.5K

-6.95%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$59.3 R$302

38.25%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$13.86 R$70.6

65.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$20.47 R$104

47.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$24.87 R$127

108.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$21.28 R$108

-12.92%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$7.79 R$39.65

-36.07%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$128 R$654

53.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$1,502 R$7,648

255.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$23.97 R$122

48.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$30.11 R$153

33.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$68.8 R$350

14.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$31.40 R$160

183.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$218 R$1,111

334.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$195 R$991

143.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$301 R$1,532

446.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$248 R$1,260

389.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,185 R$6,032

242.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$626 R$3,186

933.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$310 R$1,576

111.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

8.4

35.95%

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 Criciuma: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $218 in Criciuma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 111% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $21.00 in Criciuma for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $148 per month, with Criciuma cheaper across the board.

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 Criciuma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Criciuma is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 88% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 111% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $218 in Criciuma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Criciuma runs roughly 24% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $128 in Criciuma. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $669 in Criciuma versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Criciuma but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Criciuma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Criciuma is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Criciuma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.