Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Florianopolis

For one person, living is cheaper in Florianopolis: $1,158 a month against $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $530 less a year. The total is higher in Playa del Carmen despite lower rent and utilities.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Florianopolis, Brazil
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Florianopolis
🇧🇷 Brazil
$1,158
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Florianopolis

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Florianopolis actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,202 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,158 in Florianopolis.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,202
  • Florianopolis $1,158

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,903 in Florianopolis.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Florianopolis $1,903

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,962 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,649 in Florianopolis.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,962
  • Florianopolis $2,649

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 4% more expensive than in Florianopolis, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 11% lower, Florianopolis 14% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Florianopolis
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.67 MX$200
$8.35 R$45.81
27.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.80 MX$823
$42.82 R$235
2.29%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.79 MX$221
$7.23 R$39.66
63.07%
Cappuccino
$3.79 MX$71.1
$2.26 R$12.42
67.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30 MX$24.36
$1.23 R$6.77
5.69%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 MX$15.65
$1.00 R$5.50
-17.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 MX$59.1
$2.52 R$13.83
25.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.7
$3.38 R$18.56
45.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Florianopolis
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.46
$1.01 R$5.56
39.60%
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 MX$41.23
$1.50 R$8.25
46.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.47 MX$27.66
$1.18 R$6.46
24.58%
Eggs
$2.50 MX$46.89
$2.44 R$13.39
2.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.29 MX$137
$9.11 R$49.99
-19.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.95 MX$149
$3.76 R$20.61
111.44%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.86 MX$242
$9.50 R$52.1
35.37%
Apples (1kg)
$2.90 MX$54.4
$2.25 R$12.32
28.89%
Banana (1kg)
$1.38 MX$25.98
$1.16 R$6.35
18.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.49 MX$46.78
$1.38 R$7.58
80.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 MX$38.12
$1.57 R$8.61
29.30%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$38.03
$1.00 R$5.48
102.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 MX$35.74
$0.88 R$4.84
115.91%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.49
$0.80 R$4.36
42.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 MX$23.27
$0.64 R$3.51
93.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27 MX$80.2
$2.81 R$15.43
51.96%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.81 MX$184
$9.26 R$50.8
5.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 MX$29.78
$1.41 R$7.74
12.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 MX$51.6
$2.63 R$14.41
4.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Florianopolis
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$9.67
$1.31 R$7.18
-61.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.39 MX$514
$76.7 R$421
-64.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.76 MX$89.4
$1.45 R$7.97
228.28%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.25 MX$61.0
$0.76 R$4.19
327.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 MX$101
$10.98 R$60.3
-50.91%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.53 MX$28.70
$1.20 R$6.56
27.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$398.4K
$21.8K R$119.5K
-2.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$436.9K
$31.6K R$173.3K
-26.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Florianopolis
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.5 MX$1,568
$78.0 R$428
7.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.19 MX$435
$11.75 R$64.5
97.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.61 MX$519
$20.88 R$115
32.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Florianopolis
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.4 MX$1,060
$29.54 R$162
91.03%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.19 MX$529
$17.41 R$95.5
61.92%
Cinema Ticket
$5.00 MX$93.9
$7.15 R$39.21
-30.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Florianopolis
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,889
$729 R$4,001
-71.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,231 MX$98.2K
$10.3K R$56.5K
-49.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Florianopolis
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.45 MX$816
$59.7 R$327
-27.18%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.54 MX$799
$66.5 R$365
-36.00%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.8 MX$1,367
$104 R$569
-29.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.4 MX$1,660
$63.2 R$347
39.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Florianopolis
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$995 MX$18.7K
$635 R$3,486
56.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$382 MX$7,181
$448 R$2,460
-14.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,674 MX$31.4K
$1,209 R$6,631
38.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,081 MX$20.3K
$1,008 R$5,533
7.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,909 MX$73.4K
$2,682 R$14.7K
45.74%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,138 MX$115.3K
$1,579 R$8,663
288.76%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Florianopolis
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$832 MX$15.6K
$1,025 R$5,624
-18.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
10.61
7.92%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Last update for Florianopolis: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$382
Florianopolis
$448 17.3% $66
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$257
Florianopolis
$192 25.3% $65
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Florianopolis
$144 28.1% $56
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$134
Florianopolis
$111 17.6% $24
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$111
Florianopolis
$132 18.6% $21
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$66
Florianopolis
$44 34% $23
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Florianopolis
$87 72.9% $37

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Playa del Carmen and $635 in Florianopolis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Florianopolis pays 23% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $44 in Playa del Carmen vs $43 in Florianopolis for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $192 per month, with Florianopolis cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇧🇷 Florianopolis
🕒 Local time
10:43 10:43 AM
12:43 12:43 PM
2 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
537,211
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 18.78 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 21.09 MXN (100 MXN = 4.74 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 5.49 BRL (1 BRL = 0.182 USD). 1 EUR = 6.16 BRL (1 BRL = 0.162 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Florianopolis 6,780 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Florianopolis

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Florianopolis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Florianopolis?
Florianopolis wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Florianopolis the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Playa del Carmen or in Florianopolis?
On paper, salaries run 19% lower in Playa del Carmen. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen compared to Florianopolis?
Rent for a central apartment: $995 in Playa del Carmen versus $635 in Florianopolis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Playa del Carmen or in Florianopolis?
Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Playa del Carmen compared to Florianopolis?
All in, you’ll spend $1,202 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,158 in Florianopolis – Florianopolis is about 4% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Playa del Carmen or in Florianopolis?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Florianopolis is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Playa del Carmen or Florianopolis?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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