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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $970 in Formosa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,579 in Formosa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,188 in Formosa.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 34% more expensive than Formosa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Formosa 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$10.47 ARS 14.9K

12.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$33.99 ARS 48.5K

22.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$9.26 ARS 13.2K

14.90%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.76 ARS 3,941

27.54%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.70 ARS 2,421

-11.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.55 ARS 2,212

-37.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.12 ARS 3,030

39.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.91 ARS 4,153

52.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.26 ARS 1,796

9.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.63 ARS 2,326

15.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.98 ARS 2,820

-17.17%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.28 ARS 3,257

10.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$10.03 ARS 14.3K

-16.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.25 ARS 8,913

33.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$9.26 ARS 13.2K

15.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.01 ARS 2,861

29.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.06 ARS 2,936

-29.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.26 ARS 1,803

50.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.62 ARS 3,732

-20.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.17 ARS 1,676

52.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.25 ARS 1,780

75.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.26 ARS 1,797

-17.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.45 ARS 2,068

-25.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.05 ARS 4,357

33.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$4.34 ARS 6,196

137.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.97 ARS 2,812

-13.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.17 ARS 4,521

-18.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.79 ARS 1,121

-35.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.49 ARS 2,122

118.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.87 ARS 1,236

186.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$6.07 ARS 8,652

-46.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.05 ARS 1,504

24.76%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$27.7K ARS 39.5M

9.31%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$30.4K ARS 43.4M

-23.00%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$67.3 ARS 95.9K

23.21%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$16.95 ARS 24.2K

31.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$22.34 ARS 31.9K

31.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$25.70 ARS 36.7K

100.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$13.57 ARS 19.4K

35.00%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$6.32 ARS 9,009

-19.78%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$222 ARS 316.4K

-9.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$2,750 ARS 3.9M

89.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$72.7 ARS 103.8K

-49.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$68.3 ARS 97.4K

-41.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$116 ARS 165.8K

-32.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$110 ARS 157.1K

-20.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$340 ARS 484.7K

186.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$236 ARS 336.9K

98.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$677 ARS 966.1K

142.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$543 ARS 775.1K

124.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,317 ARS 3.3M

70.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

58.5

-80.48%

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 Formosa: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $340 in Formosa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $34.00 in Formosa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $229 per month, with Formosa 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 Formosa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Formosa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,945 in Playa del Carmen and $1,455 in Formosa to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $340 in Formosa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $222 in Formosa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Formosa – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $970 in Formosa versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Formosa but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Formosa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Formosa 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.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Formosa are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Formosa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.