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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $416 in Mindelo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $958 in Mindelo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,501 in Mindelo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 212% more than Mindelo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Mindelo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Mindelo 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$11.72 CVE 1,114

0.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$58.3 CVE 5,536

-28.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$1.13 CVE 107

211.50%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.07 CVE 102

41.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$1.04 CVE 98.8

-6.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$3.52 CVE 334

-16.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$1.83 CVE 174

143.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.53 CVE 146

-9.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.13 CVE 107

67.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$0.80 CVE 75.9

105.00%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.62 CVE 249

-4.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$16.25 CVE 1,545

-48.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$17.56 CVE 1,669

-38.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$2.19 CVE 208

18.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.97 CVE 188

-25.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$2.90 CVE 276

-34.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$3.22 CVE 306

-35.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.87 CVE 83.0

104.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.77 CVE 168

23.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.06 CVE 101

-1.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.78 CVE 73.8

38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$5.18 CVE 492

-21.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$8.40 CVE 799

22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$2.02 CVE 192

-15.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.10 CVE 200

22.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.46 CVE 43.25

10.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$31.03 CVE 2,948

-14.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$1.58 CVE 150

106.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$1.39 CVE 133

79.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$10.53 CVE 1,001

-69.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.70 CVE 161

-22.94%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

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

$22.22 MX$385

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$3.18 CVE 302

476.10%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

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

$201 MX$3,480

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

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

$368 CVE 35.0K

345.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$266 CVE 25.3K

358.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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 Mindelo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $58.0 in Mindelo. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $243 in Mindelo – so Mindelo 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 Mindelo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 212%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $624 in Mindelo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Public transport costs about 17% less in Mindelo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 2% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mindelo, where all-in costs run around $416, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Mindelo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mindelo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Mindelo. 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.