Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Itajubá, MG Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Itajubá, MG

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $828 in Itajubá, MG.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,185 in Itajubá, MG.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,542 in Itajubá, MG.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 53% more expensive than in Itajubá, MG, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Itajubá, MG 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$4.26 R$21.93

172.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$23.18 R$119

103.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$4.33 R$22.33

174.36%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$1.20 R$6.16

231.67%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.12 R$5.77

27.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.67 R$3.47

22.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.79 R$9.20

78.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.99 R$15.41

127.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$0.94 R$4.85

78.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.62 R$8.36

35.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.00 R$5.16

71.00%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.32 R$11.98

18.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$10.68 R$55.0

-10.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.51 R$18.10

156.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$7.55 R$38.90

69.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.74 R$14.12

5.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.61 R$8.27

-6.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$0.99 R$5.11

117.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.75 R$9.04

29.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.06 R$5.44

86.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.05 R$5.41

89.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.64 R$3.31

92.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.63 R$3.25

90.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$2.83 R$14.59

60.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$8.72 R$44.93

18.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.14 R$5.87

42.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.51 R$7.80

90.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.96 R$4.93

-37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.23 R$6.35

338.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.82 R$4.23

354.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$9.02 R$46.48

-36.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.15 R$5.90

33.91%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$23.2K R$119.6K

-2.85%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$32.2K R$165.8K

-19.03%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$134 R$689

-31.68%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$12.05 R$62.1

109.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$18.44 R$95.0

69.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$15.26 R$78.6

340.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$7.93 R$40.85

-38.71%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$549 R$2,828

-59.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$13.4K R$68.8K

-68.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$40.74 R$210

15.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$47.85 R$247

-7.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$74.3 R$383

7.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$65.3 R$336

42.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$333 R$1,715

219.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$235 R$1,211

66.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$499 R$2,571

330.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$349 R$1,798

264.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$892 R$4,597

348.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$677 R$3,488

860.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$286 R$1,475

164.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

11.93

-4.02%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Itajubá, MG: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $333 in Itajubá, MG. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 165% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $23.00 in Itajubá, MG for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $189 per month, with Itajubá, MG 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 Itajubá, MG: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Itajubá, MG differ by about 53% in total monthly costs ($1,266 vs $828 including rent). Itajubá, MG is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 165% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $333 in Itajubá, MG. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $224 in Playa del Carmen versus $549 in Itajubá, MG. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Itajubá, MG – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $828 in Itajubá, MG versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Itajubá, MG but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Itajubá, MG the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Itajubá, MG 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 Itajubá, MG gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.