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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,138 in Oistins.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,705 in Oistins.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,272 in Oistins.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 14% more expensive than Oistins, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Oistins 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$20.35 BBD 40.71

-42.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$6.13 BBD 12.26

-42.58%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.24 BBD 2.47

21.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$2.94 BBD 5.89

-53.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$1.79 BBD 3.57

-71.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$2.01 BBD 4.01

-34.83%

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

$48.35 BBD 96.7

-39.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$49.49 BBD 99.0

4.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

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

$49.66 BBD 99.3

-25.65%

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

$745 BBD 1,489

-37.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$1,500 BBD 2,999

-18.59%

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 Oistins: May 30, 2026

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 Oistins: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oistins wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Oistins the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,945 in Playa del Carmen and $1,707 in Oistins 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 746% 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 $1,138 in Oistins – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,138 in Oistins versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Oistins but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Oistins the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Oistins delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,138 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Oistins hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Oistins gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.