Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ferraz de Vasconcelos Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ferraz de Vasconcelos

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $777 in Ferraz de Vasconcelos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,130 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,248 in Ferraz de Vasconcelos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,999 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,720 in Ferraz de Vasconcelos.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 62% more expensive than Ferraz de Vasconcelos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Ferraz de Vasconcelos 42% lower.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Ferraz de Vasconcelos
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.67 MX$202
$5.26 R$26.12
121.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.88 MX$726
$27.25 R$135
53.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.40 MX$180
$6.21 R$30.88
67.47%
Cappuccino
$3.61 MX$62.6
$1.75 R$8.68
106.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 MX$25.45
$1.12 R$5.56
31.25%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 MX$15.80
$0.61 R$3.03
49.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.03 MX$52.6
$1.78 R$8.85
70.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 MX$77.4
$2.67 R$13.28
67.42%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Ferraz de Vasconcelos
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 MX$23.83
$0.93 R$4.62
48.39%
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 MX$31.93
$1.51 R$7.52
21.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 MX$27.82
$1.13 R$5.63
42.48%
Eggs
$2.57 MX$44.52
$2.01 R$10.00
27.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.49 MX$147
$8.07 R$40.12
5.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.49 MX$147
$3.72 R$18.47
128.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.99 MX$190
$7.04 R$34.97
56.11%
Apples (1kg)
$2.73 MX$47.25
$2.08 R$10.34
31.25%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$25.92
$1.30 R$6.46
15.38%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.96 MX$33.93
$1.14 R$5.64
71.93%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$36.70
$1.44 R$7.14
47.22%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 MX$32.30
$1.18 R$5.88
57.63%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 MX$37.67
$1.07 R$5.30
102.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 MX$18.59
$0.75 R$3.75
42.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 MX$18.18
$0.62 R$3.10
69.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19 MX$72.6
$2.08 R$10.33
101.44%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.28 MX$178
$8.14 R$40.44
26.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67 MX$28.87
$1.26 R$6.27
32.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49 MX$43.12
$2.00 R$9.94
24.50%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Ferraz de Vasconcelos
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.54 MX$9.37
$0.87 R$4.31
-37.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.27 MX$455
$38.12 R$189
-31.09%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.10 MX$53.8
$1.10 R$5.49
181.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.46 MX$42.66
$0.72 R$3.57
241.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.24 MX$56.1
$6.58 R$32.69
-50.76%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.26 MX$21.83
$1.03 R$5.13
22.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2K MX$522.8K
$20.8K R$103.3K
45.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4K MX$406.3K
$27.9K R$138.4K
-15.83%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Ferraz de Vasconcelos
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.0 MX$1,456
$61.1 R$304
37.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.21 MX$385
$13.24 R$65.8
67.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.65 MX$514
$19.17 R$95.3
54.67%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Ferraz de Vasconcelos
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.6 MX$912
$22.83 R$113
130.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.34 MX$318
$21.80 R$108
-15.87%
Cinema Ticket
$4.95 MX$85.7
$6.42 R$31.89
-22.90%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Ferraz de Vasconcelos
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$198 MX$3,438
$268 R$1,330
-25.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,322 MX$92.2K
$6,544 R$32.5K
-18.68%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Ferraz de Vasconcelos
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.95 MX$623
$48.56 R$241
-25.97%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.06 MX$694
$42.38 R$211
-5.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.8 MX$1,365
$77.1 R$383
2.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5 MX$1,499
$64.5 R$320
34.23%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Ferraz de Vasconcelos
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$977 MX$16.9K
$313 R$1,554
212.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$471 MX$8,158
$214 R$1,063
120.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,595 MX$27.6K
$573 R$2,846
178.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,215 MX$21.1K
$436 R$2,169
178.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,032 MX$69.9K
$1,699 R$8,445
137.27%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,579 MX$114.0K
$1,198 R$5,953
449.23%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Ferraz de Vasconcelos
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$714 MX$12.4K
$302 R$1,500
136.66%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
10.92
4.58%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Ferraz de Vasconcelos: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $977 in Playa del Carmen and $313 in Ferraz de Vasconcelos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 137% 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 in Playa del Carmen vs $27 in Ferraz de Vasconcelos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $174 per month, with Ferraz de Vasconcelos 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 Ferraz de Vasconcelos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Ferraz de Vasconcelos?
Ferraz de Vasconcelos wins on cost โ€“ living expenses run 62% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ferraz de Vasconcelos the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Playa del Carmen or Ferraz de Vasconcelos?
Playa del Carmen pays 137% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen vs Ferraz de Vasconcelos?
Rent for a central apartment: $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $313 in Ferraz de Vasconcelos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Playa del Carmen vs Ferraz de Vasconcelos?
A monthly transit pass in Ferraz de Vasconcelos runs roughly 45% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Playa del Carmen and Ferraz de Vasconcelos?
Childcare runs $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $268 in Ferraz de Vasconcelos. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Playa del Carmen or Ferraz de Vasconcelos?
At $777 in Ferraz de Vasconcelos versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ferraz de Vasconcelos but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Ferraz de Vasconcelos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Ferraz de Vasconcelos?
Both work as nomad bases, but Ferraz de Vasconcelos delivers better value โ€“ similar infrastructure at $777 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ferraz de Vasconcelos hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Ferraz de Vasconcelos gentler on the wallet โ€“ expenses run 62% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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