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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $653 in Maracay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,148 in Maracay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,643 in Maracay, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 99% more than Maracay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Maracay are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Maracay 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$11.76 VES 6,574

-0.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$56.0 VES 31.3K

-25.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.21 VES 4,031

47.57%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$1.35 VES 756

160.74%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.22 VES 684

23.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.97 VES 540

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.47 VES 824

100.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$1.95 VES 1,087

128.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.80 VES 1,003

-23.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$2.67 VES 1,490

-29.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.03 VES 575

59.22%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.19 VES 1,226

14.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$6.67 VES 3,728

25.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$5.63 VES 3,150

48.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.33 VES 4,099

46.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$4.02 VES 2,248

-35.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.87 VES 1,048

-21.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$2.26 VES 1,265

-15.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$2.06 VES 1,152

0.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$2.62 VES 1,462

-32.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$2.05 VES 1,148

6.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.36 VES 758

-23.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.87 VES 1,046

-42.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$2.44 VES 1,365

67.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$10.13 VES 5,665

1.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.12 VES 627

52.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.78 VES 996

44.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.29 VES 160

75.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$2.95 VES 1,647

10.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$2.74 VES 1,533

-9.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$9.90 VES 5,534

-67.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.49 VES 274

167.35%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$24.6K VES 13.7M

23.22%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$40.2K VES 22.5M

-41.68%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$10.09 VES 5,638

721.31%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$12.84 VES 7,178

73.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$39.35 VES 22.0K

-25.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$52.5 VES 29.4K

-1.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$3.57 VES 1,995

42.02%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$130 VES 72.6K

54.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$5,571 VES 3.1M

-6.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$24.75 VES 13.8K

49.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$30.04 VES 16.8K

32.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$79.1 VES 44.2K

-0.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$99.8 VES 55.8K

-12.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$455 VES 254.6K

766.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$199 VES 111.1K

3169.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$179 VES 99.9K

271.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

21.33

-46.46%

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 Maracay: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 272% 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 $56.0 in Maracay. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $248 in Maracay – so Maracay wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Maracay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 99% more than Maracay, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $980 in Maracay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $653 in Maracay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $130 in Maracay. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Maracay, where all-in costs run around $653, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Maracay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Maracay costs $653 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Maracay. 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.