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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $767 in Oral, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,155 in Oral, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,543 in Oral, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 66% more than Oral, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Oral are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Oral 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$7.27 ₸3,552

63.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$30.07 ₸14.7K

42.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$7.32 ₸3,574

45.49%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.64 ₸800

110.37%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.85 ₸416

76.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.51 ₸251

86.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$0.81 ₸393

274.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$1.73 ₸845

166.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.30 ₸634

6.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.40 ₸197

362.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.44 ₸705

11.81%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.35 ₸659

91.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$7.72 ₸3,772

6.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$3.81 ₸1,861

119.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$9.84 ₸4,806

8.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.06 ₸518

148.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.80 ₸877

-17.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.03 ₸989

-5.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$2.94 ₸1,437

-28.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.37 ₸183

402.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.31 ₸152

629.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.63 ₸306

68.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.01 ₸494

7.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$1.88 ₸918

120.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$7.08 ₸3,460

46.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$0.58 ₸283

196.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.59 ₸778

64.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.22 ₸106

145.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.61 ₸296

413.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.64 ₸310

292.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$4.58 ₸2,239

-31.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.50 ₸244

154.00%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$20.1K ₸9.8M

51.36%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$24.6K ₸12.0M

-4.25%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$72.6 ₸35.5K

14.26%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$8.00 ₸3,906

183.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$12.60 ₸6,153

133.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$69.2 ₸33.8K

-26.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$2.95 ₸1,440

67.12%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$209 ₸101.9K

-5.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$4,870 ₸2.4M

8.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$29.20 ₸14.3K

26.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$34.88 ₸17.0K

14.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$89.9 ₸43.9K

-11.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$76.8 ₸37.5K

16.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$252 ₸123.1K

279.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$186 ₸90.8K

156.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$402 ₸196.4K

309.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$273 ₸133.3K

348.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$398 ₸194.3K

67.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

18.39

-37.90%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Oral: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $252 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 68% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $30.00 in Oral. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $175 – 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 66%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,151 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $30.00 in Oral. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Oral, where all-in costs run around $767, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.