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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $739 in Oral, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,107 in Oral, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,475 in Oral, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 71% more than Oral, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Oral are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Oral 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$8.55 ₸3,835

35.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$34.83 ₸15.6K

35.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$8.59 ₸3,849

38.30%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$1.92 ₸861

107.29%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.02 ₸458

40.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.64 ₸285

28.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$0.86 ₸384

270.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.96 ₸876

246.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.48 ₸663

13.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.46 ₸208

378.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.70 ₸763

0.59%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.54 ₸689

77.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$9.02 ₸4,046

6.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.39 ₸1,969

105.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$11.03 ₸4,945

16.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.25 ₸562

131.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.01 ₸903

-25.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.30 ₸1,031

-6.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$3.44 ₸1,542

-34.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.43 ₸193

360.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.35 ₸158

468.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.67 ₸302

83.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.10 ₸492

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$2.18 ₸979

108.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$7.76 ₸3,477

33.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$0.65 ₸290

149.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.21 ₸93.8

185.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.68 ₸306

692.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$5.43 ₸2,436

6.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.60 ₸268

156.67%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$30.8K ₸13.8M

-15.34%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$83.9 ₸37.6K

8.88%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$8.80 ₸3,947

186.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$14.70 ₸6,591

112.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$55.6 ₸24.9K

20.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$3.29 ₸1,474

47.72%

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

$224 MX$3,856

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$33.89 ₸15.2K

38.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$280 ₸125.6K

279.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$212 ₸95.0K

84.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$454 ₸203.4K

373.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$312 ₸139.9K

307.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$433 ₸194.0K

75.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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 Oral: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $280 in Oral. 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 75% 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 $35.00 in Oral. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $196 – making Oral 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 Oral: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 71%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,109 in Oral. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 41% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $35.00 in Oral. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Oral, where all-in costs run around $739, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Oral it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Oral – 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 Oral. 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.