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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $750 in Oral, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,163 in Oral, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,577 in Oral, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 72% more than Oral, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Oral are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Oral 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$7.27 ₸3,360

64.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$30.64 ₸14.2K

39.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$7.29 ₸3,371

45.27%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.70 ₸784

112.94%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.90 ₸415

63.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.57 ₸261

64.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$0.81 ₸374

281.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$1.80 ₸832

147.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.24 ₸574

15.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.38 ₸174

394.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.45 ₸673

12.41%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.33 ₸615

98.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$7.86 ₸3,634

4.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.90 ₸1,802

112.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$9.73 ₸4,498

14.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.05 ₸485

152.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.86 ₸862

-19.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.01 ₸930

-1.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$2.95 ₸1,365

-29.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.40 ₸185

347.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.31 ₸144

603.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.64 ₸295

68.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.95 ₸441

9.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$1.79 ₸830

121.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$7.48 ₸3,459

36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$0.61 ₸283

183.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.52 ₸702

64.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.22 ₸101

136.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.57 ₸265

450.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.66 ₸306

263.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$4.79 ₸2,216

-35.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.50 ₸231

154.00%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$19.7K ₸9.1M

56.65%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$24.4K ₸11.3M

-4.50%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$73.7 ₸34.1K

11.23%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$7.93 ₸3,669

183.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$12.54 ₸5,797

136.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$69.0 ₸31.9K

-24.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$2.96 ₸1,367

67.91%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$208 ₸96.4K

-5.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$4,923 ₸2.3M

7.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$29.77 ₸13.8K

22.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$35.77 ₸16.5K

11.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$88.9 ₸41.1K

-10.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$77.7 ₸35.9K

14.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$249 ₸115.0K

287.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$187 ₸86.4K

148.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$394 ₸182.0K

305.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$273 ₸126.3K

342.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$429 ₸198.2K

68.08%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Oral: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $249 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 $31.00 in Oral. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $176 – 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 72%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,125 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 $31.00 in Oral. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 43% 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 $750, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.