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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $642 in Maracay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,125 in Maracay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,608 in Maracay, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 96% more than Maracay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Maracay are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Maracay 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$11.97 VES 8,796

0.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$54.7 VES 40.2K

-23.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$7.35 VES 5,401

46.26%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.34 VES 985

161.19%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.23 VES 904

17.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.02 VES 751

-13.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.54 VES 1,134

91.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.02 VES 1,487

123.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.82 VES 1,335

-21.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$2.71 VES 1,991

-32.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.07 VES 790

46.73%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.23 VES 1,641

12.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$6.81 VES 5,004

21.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$5.46 VES 4,014

54.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$7.37 VES 5,416

44.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$3.91 VES 2,876

-33.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.86 VES 1,369

-22.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.17 VES 1,596

-9.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.05 VES 1,509

1.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.64 VES 1,943

-29.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.14 VES 1,573

1.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.29 VES 951

-20.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.90 VES 1,400

-43.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$2.54 VES 1,864

61.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$9.82 VES 7,217

3.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.17 VES 861

43.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.73 VES 1,270

46.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.31 VES 230

64.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$2.94 VES 2,158

9.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$2.77 VES 2,038

-13.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$10.14 VES 7,452

-68.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.51 VES 375

158.82%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$24.9K VES 18.3M

19.12%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$39.6K VES 29.1M

-40.19%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$10.06 VES 7,398

715.21%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$13.14 VES 9,658

74.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$39.46 VES 29.0K

-23.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$53.0 VES 39.0K

-2.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$3.55 VES 2,606

40.28%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$130 VES 95.9K

51.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$5,448 VES 4.0M

-2.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$24.53 VES 18.0K

45.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$29.53 VES 21.7K

36.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$79.5 VES 58.4K

-0.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$102 VES 74.9K

-12.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$444 VES 326.0K

814.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$203 VES 149.0K

3091.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$179 VES 131.5K

265.44%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Maracay: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 265% 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 $55.0 in Maracay. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $247 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 96% 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $963 in Maracay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $642 in Maracay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 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 $642, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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 $642 versus $1,256 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.