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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,115 in Onesti, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,690 in Onesti, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,265 in Onesti, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 14% more than Onesti, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Onesti are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Onesti 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$11.27 RON 51.6

2.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$43.42 RON 199

8.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.53 RON 34.51

57.77%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.96 RON 13.56

34.46%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$2.22 RON 10.18

-35.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$1.83 RON 8.38

-55.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$3.37 RON 15.45

-5.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$4.05 RON 18.56

67.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.10 RON 5.04

52.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$1.37 RON 6.28

60.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$2.05 RON 9.41

-16.59%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$3.25 RON 14.91

-15.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$7.71 RON 35.31

24.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.49 RON 29.74

38.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$10.17 RON 46.59

25.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$1.09 RON 4.98

165.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.56 RON 7.16

-3.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$1.81 RON 8.30

18.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$2.21 RON 10.12

2.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$0.94 RON 4.32

110.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$0.97 RON 4.45

105.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$1.23 RON 5.64

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.65 RON 2.96

84.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$6.75 RON 30.92

-32.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$5.44 RON 24.92

90.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.37 RON 6.27

18.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$2.15 RON 9.86

33.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.79 RON 3.60

-24.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$23.04 RON 106

25.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$0.86 RON 3.95

526.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.92 RON 4.23

305.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$8.64 RON 39.56

-33.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.56 RON 7.15

-1.28%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$29.7K RON 136.1K

-24.10%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$29.3K RON 134.1K

-10.99%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$190 RON 868

-51.79%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$7.78 RON 35.64

223.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$9.08 RON 41.59

244.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$40.46 RON 185

66.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$21.43 RON 98.2

35.84%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$9.12 RON 41.80

-46.71%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$411 RON 1,882

-45.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$7,467 RON 34.2K

-43.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$39.66 RON 182

18.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$40.29 RON 185

9.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$96.8 RON 444

-17.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$94.5 RON 433

-1.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$403 RON 1,845

163.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$299 RON 1,368

30.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$624 RON 2,857

244.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$477 RON 2,185

166.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$1,914 RON 8,767

109.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$1,400 RON 6,413

364.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$663 RON 3,039

14.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

7.18

59.47%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Onesti: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $403 in Onesti. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 14% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $43.00 in Onesti. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $205 – making Onesti 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 Onesti: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 14% more than Onesti, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,672 in Onesti. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Onesti, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $43.00 in Onesti. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,115 in Onesti. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Onesti, where all-in costs run around $1,115, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Onesti 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. Onesti costs $1,115 versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Onesti. 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.