Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Foz do Iguaçu Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Foz do Iguaçu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $856 in Foz do Iguaçu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,330 in Foz do Iguaçu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,804 in Foz do Iguaçu, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 51% more than Foz do Iguaçu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Foz do Iguaçu are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Foz do Iguaçu 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$5.94 R$30.27

97.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$38.08 R$194

22.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$6.70 R$34.16

73.88%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$1.75 R$8.95

133.71%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$1.26 R$6.45

8.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.60 R$3.06

38.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$1.56 R$7.97

114.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$2.95 R$15.06

134.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$0.91 R$4.65

90.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$1.39 R$7.08

62.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$1.64 R$8.35

7.93%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$2.65 R$13.54

3.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$8.03 R$40.96

14.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$3.89 R$19.85

129.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$8.10 R$41.31

55.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$2.17 R$11.05

39.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$1.19 R$6.07

31.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$0.98 R$4.97

117.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$1.14 R$5.80

98.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$0.99 R$5.05

102.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$1.04 R$5.30

98.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$0.85 R$4.32

38.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.80 R$4.08

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$2.83 R$14.45

63.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$7.63 R$38.92

40.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$1.82 R$9.27

-10.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$2.88 R$14.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$0.99 R$5.04

-42.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$50.2 R$256

-40.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$0.98 R$4.99

456.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$1.32 R$6.72

180.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$1.22 R$6.24

27.05%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$19.5K R$99.7K

14.26%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$69.0 R$352

29.10%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$18.38 R$93.7

36.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$19.62 R$100

60.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$18.92 R$96.5

258.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$5.68 R$28.96

409.15%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$8.58 R$43.77

-41.14%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$231 R$1,179

-2.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$45.12 R$230

5.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$17.68 R$90.2

154.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$49.44 R$252

65.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$37.39 R$191

146.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$371 R$1,894

187.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$304 R$1,552

33.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$675 R$3,444

186.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$491 R$2,506

164.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$1,259 R$6,420

217.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$864 R$4,408

666.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$385 R$1,965

94.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

8.16

40.32%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Foz do Iguaçu: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $371 in Foz do Iguaçu. 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 94% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $38.00 in Foz do Iguaçu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $184 – making Foz do Iguaçu 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 Foz do Iguaçu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, $856 in Foz do Iguaçu – roughly 51% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,284 in Foz do Iguaçu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $225 per month in Playa del Carmen and $231 in Foz do Iguaçu. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 51% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Foz do Iguaçu, where all-in costs run around $856, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Foz do Iguaçu 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 $856 in Foz do Iguaçu to $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Foz do Iguaçu. 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.