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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $372 in Itahari, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $649 in Itahari, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $926 in Itahari, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 248% more than Itahari, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Itahari are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Itahari 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$1.81 NPR 274

548.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$18.94 NPR 2,866

120.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$6.45 NPR 976

61.40%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$1.54 NPR 234

134.42%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.54 NPR 81.6

170.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.17 NPR 25.82

470.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$2.65 NPR 401

10.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$3.74 NPR 567

23.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$0.72 NPR 109

98.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$0.58 NPR 88.2

227.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$0.82 NPR 125

91.46%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$1.55 NPR 235

70.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$7.60 NPR 1,150

11.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$3.10 NPR 469

176.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$6.07 NPR 918

81.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$1.88 NPR 285

43.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$0.81 NPR 123

86.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$1.23 NPR 187

55.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$0.69 NPR 104

214.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$0.49 NPR 74.4

281.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$0.65 NPR 97.7

243.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.49 NPR 74.5

120.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.36 NPR 54.7

197.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$2.85 NPR 432

45.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$6.50 NPR 983

58.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$2.34 NPR 354

-28.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$3.31 NPR 501

-23.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.22 NPR 32.80

150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$2.24 NPR 339

42.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$0.83 NPR 125

196.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$3.68 NPR 557

-13.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.21 NPR 184

9.09%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$31.7K NPR 4.8M

-4.78%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$41.1K NPR 6.2M

-43.02%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$26.43 NPR 3,999

207.79%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$5.01 NPR 758

347.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$9.44 NPR 1,429

217.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$18.02 NPR 2,727

186.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$2.78 NPR 421

85.61%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$71.6 NPR 10.8K

181.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$2,778 NPR 420.3K

91.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$25.17 NPR 3,809

41.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$27.27 NPR 4,125

48.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$44.98 NPR 6,806

74.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$28.92 NPR 4,376

200.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$107 NPR 16.2K

788.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$18.30 NPR 2,769

2512.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$99.6 NPR 15.1K

1526.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$145 NPR 21.9K

745.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$200 NPR 30.2K

236.94%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Itahari: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $107 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 237% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Itahari. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 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: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, $372 in Itahari – roughly 248% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $557 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 $42.00 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 78% 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 $372, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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 $372 in Itahari to $1,294 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.