Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Oaxaca de Juarez Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Oaxaca de Juarez

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,060 in Oaxaca de Juarez.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,628 in Oaxaca de Juarez.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,196 in Oaxaca de Juarez.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 22% more expensive than Oaxaca de Juarez, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Oaxaca de Juarez 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$5.72 MX$99.1

105.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$26.95 MX$467

54.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.75 MX$134

37.29%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$2.56 MX$44.44

37.50%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.19 MX$20.61

26.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.70 MX$12.11

38.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.28 MX$39.43

29.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$3.46 MX$60.0

28.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.28 MX$22.20

7.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$2.65 MX$45.85

-28.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.08 MX$18.63

51.85%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.59 MX$27.49

57.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$6.16 MX$107

35.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$4.67 MX$80.9

78.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$11.17 MX$194

-3.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$2.13 MX$36.98

22.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.18 MX$20.44

23.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.72 MX$29.82

10.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$0.55 MX$9.52

278.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$2.17 MX$37.69

-17.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.89 MX$32.77

15.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.04 MX$18.00

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.78 MX$13.46

38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$4.04 MX$70.0

0.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$9.97 MX$173

3.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.29 MX$22.43

32.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.80 MX$48.48

-7.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.54 MX$9.37

-5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$2.56 MX$44.40

27.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$2.48 MX$43.01

0.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$10.75 MX$186

-69.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.29 MX$22.37

1.55%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$22.6K MX$391.2K

34.13%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$24.0K MX$415.9K

-2.38%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$67.1 MX$1,163

23.43%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$10.67 MX$185

108.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$24.09 MX$417

21.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$31.95 MX$554

61.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$15.89 MX$275

15.29%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$5.37 MX$93.0

-5.59%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$369 MX$6,389

-45.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$3,543 MX$61.4K

47.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$38.20 MX$662

-3.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$58.7 MX$1,017

-32.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$67.1 MX$1,162

16.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$99.0 MX$1,716

-12.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$595 MX$10.3K

63.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$418 MX$7,236

12.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,050 MX$18.2K

56.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$846 MX$14.7K

44.27%

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

11.25

1.51%

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 Oaxaca de Juarez: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $595 in Oaxaca de Juarez. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $27.00 in Oaxaca de Juarez for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $208 per month, with Oaxaca de Juarez 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 Oaxaca de Juarez: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oaxaca de Juarez wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Oaxaca de Juarez the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,945 in Playa del Carmen and $1,590 in Oaxaca de Juarez to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $595 in Oaxaca de Juarez. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,060 in Oaxaca de Juarez – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,060 in Oaxaca de Juarez versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Oaxaca de Juarez but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Oaxaca de Juarez the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Oaxaca de Juarez delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,060 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Oaxaca de Juarez hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Oaxaca de Juarez 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 Oaxaca de Juarez gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.