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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $367 in Itahari, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $644 in Itahari, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $921 in Itahari, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 250% more than Itahari, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Itahari are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Itahari 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$1.80 NPR 274

563.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$18.72 NPR 2,844

128.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$6.50 NPR 988

62.92%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.50 NPR 228

141.33%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.54 NPR 81.5

172.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.19 NPR 29.54

394.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.62 NPR 398

17.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.60 NPR 546

23.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.74 NPR 112

93.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.54 NPR 82.5

248.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$0.81 NPR 124

101.23%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.55 NPR 235

70.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$7.41 NPR 1,125

10.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.13 NPR 476

164.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$6.29 NPR 955

76.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.89 NPR 287

40.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$0.83 NPR 126

80.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.19 NPR 181

67.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.65 NPR 98.3

220.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.49 NPR 74.7

265.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.64 NPR 97.6

240.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.53 NPR 80.8

103.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.34 NPR 51.5

205.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.84 NPR 431

39.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$6.66 NPR 1,012

53.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.33 NPR 353

-25.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.19 NPR 485

-21.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.23 NPR 34.59

126.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$2.24 NPR 340

40.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.77 NPR 117

211.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$3.72 NPR 564

-16.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.28 NPR 194

-0.78%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$32.1K NPR 4.9M

-3.81%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$40.6K NPR 6.2M

-42.54%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$26.24 NPR 3,986

212.54%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$4.97 NPR 755

351.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$9.89 NPR 1,502

199.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$18.04 NPR 2,740

187.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$2.71 NPR 411

83.39%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$73.6 NPR 11.2K

168.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$2,794 NPR 424.4K

88.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$24.97 NPR 3,793

45.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$27.16 NPR 4,126

47.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$44.69 NPR 6,789

78.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$28.96 NPR 4,400

206.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$104 NPR 15.8K

827.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$18.07 NPR 2,746

2471.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$97.5 NPR 14.8K

1537.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$146 NPR 22.2K

728.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$201 NPR 30.5K

258.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

12.08

-5.46%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Itahari: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $104 in Itahari. 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 258% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Itahari. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $142 – making Itahari 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 Itahari: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $367 in Itahari – roughly 250% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $551 in Itahari. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $19.00 in Itahari. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 77% 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 Itahari, where all-in costs run around $367, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Itahari 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 $367 in Itahari to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Itahari. 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.