🙂A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,794 in Naranjito, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,205 in Naranjito, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,615 in Naranjito, rent included.
🙂Playa del Carmen is about 28% cheaper than Naranjito, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Naranjito is 34% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Naranjito
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$17.18$17.18
-30.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$80.1$80.1
-46.64%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
$9.76$9.76
8.50%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$3.25$3.25
11.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$1.73$1.73
-15.03%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$1.39$1.39
-32.37%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$2.96$2.96
4.39%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
$4.07$4.07
9.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Naranjito
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$2.42$2.42
-40.91%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$3.46$3.46
-45.66%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$2.26$2.26
-27.88%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
$5.90$5.90
-55.25%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$8.65$8.65
-5.09%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$8.29$8.29
-
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$12.96$12.96
-14.35%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
$5.95$5.95
-55.46%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
$2.64$2.64
-43.18%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
$3.84$3.84
-48.18%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
$4.03$4.03
-48.39%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
$3.92$3.92
-54.34%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
$3.04$3.04
-28.29%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
$3.01$3.01
-64.12%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$1.98$1.98
-47.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
$11.29$11.29
-64.84%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
$2.45$2.45
-29.39%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
$3.17$3.17
-21.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Naranjito
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
-
-
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
$1.51$1.51
58.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
$15.15$15.15
-79.60%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
$1.00$1.00
27.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
$36.4K$36.4K
-15.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
$26.5K$26.5K
-12.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Naranjito
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
$314$314
-73.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
$78.6$78.6
-71.44%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$71.2$71.2
-58.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Naranjito
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
$11.62$11.62
-57.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Naranjito
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
$479$479
-58.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
$10.6K$10.6K
-50.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Naranjito
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$45.95$45.95
-20.91%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$56.7$56.7
-29.32%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
$90.0$90.0
-11.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
$105$105
-15.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Naranjito
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
$808$808
19.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
$599$599
-22.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
$1,805$1,805
-11.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$69.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Naranjito
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
5.71
100.00%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Last update for Naranjito: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $808 in Naranjito. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $80.0 in Naranjito. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $351 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Naranjito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Playa del Carmen and Naranjito compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $1,794 in Naranjito – roughly 39% apart. Naranjito costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Playa del Carmen compared to Naranjito?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,692 in Naranjito. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Playa del Carmen and Naranjito?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $80.0 in Naranjito. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 40% more in Naranjito, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Naranjito at $1,794. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Naranjito it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Naranjito?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,287 in Playa del Carmen to $1,794 in Naranjito. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Playa del Carmen or Naranjito safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Playa del Carmen and Naranjito?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Naranjito makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared