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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $727 in Itajai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,172 in Itajai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,616 in Itajai, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 78% more than Itajai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Itajai are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Itajai 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.39 R$22.23

167.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$32.03 R$162

29.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.36 R$32.16

67.30%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$2.02 R$10.23

74.26%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.12 R$5.68

34.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.63 R$3.19

53.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.22 R$11.21

32.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$2.63 R$13.28

69.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$0.78 R$3.94

76.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.20 R$6.08

57.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$0.76 R$3.83

115.79%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.85 R$9.34

35.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$8.16 R$41.28

2.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$2.50 R$12.66

233.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$6.86 R$34.73

56.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.60 R$8.10

62.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$0.87 R$4.40

67.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$0.97 R$4.90

95.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.25 R$6.31

66.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.69 R$3.50

157.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.56 R$2.81

291.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.59 R$2.99

76.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.48 R$2.44

125.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$2.20 R$11.14

85.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$7.83 R$39.60

31.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$0.80 R$4.05

113.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.61 R$8.14

60.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.91 R$4.63

-43.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$38.88 R$197

-31.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$1.14 R$5.79

185.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.67 R$3.39

271.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$6.29 R$31.81

-48.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.05 R$5.31

24.76%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$18.3K R$92.7K

65.18%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$26.2K R$132.3K

-10.41%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$35.81 R$181

131.42%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$11.57 R$58.6

92.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$17.95 R$90.8

63.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$29.31 R$148

76.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$21.67 R$110

-15.46%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$6.46 R$32.67

-21.52%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$285 R$1,443

-29.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$6,593 R$33.4K

-20.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$55.8 R$282

-33.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$45.20 R$229

-11.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$83.6 R$423

-6.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$59.5 R$301

46.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$313 R$1,585

210.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$216 R$1,094

116.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$584 R$2,953

181.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$427 R$2,160

186.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$2,128 R$10.8K

85.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$1,718 R$8,690

278.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$625 R$3,163

6.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.82%

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 Itajai: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $313 in Itajai. 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 6% 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 $32.00 in Itajai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $145 – making Itajai 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 Itajai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $727 in Itajai – roughly 78% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,090 in Itajai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $727 in Itajai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 47% less in Itajai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Itajai, where all-in costs run around $727, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Itajai 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 $727 in Itajai to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Itajai. 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.