🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,989 in Oranjestad.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,152 in Oranjestad.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,315 in Oranjestad.
🙂Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 35% less than in Oranjestad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 4% below, Oranjestad is 49% above.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Oranjestad
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$208
$19.34AWG 34.62
-38.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$744
$81.6AWG 146
-47.61%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$184
$10.34AWG 18.50
2.42%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.0
$3.63AWG 6.49
-0.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.54
$1.47AWG 2.63
-
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.41
$1.59AWG 2.84
-40.88%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$53.8
$3.01AWG 5.40
2.66%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$77.6
$4.01AWG 7.18
11.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Oranjestad
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.80
$1.87AWG 3.35
-23.53%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.79
$2.98AWG 5.34
-36.91%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.34
$2.83AWG 5.06
-42.40%
Eggs
$2.64MX$45.99
$5.22AWG 9.35
-49.43%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$143
$12.70AWG 22.73
-35.35%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$144
$9.46AWG 16.93
-12.37%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$193
$12.03AWG 21.53
-7.73%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.14
$4.75AWG 8.50
-44.21%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.11
$2.31AWG 4.13
-35.06%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.59
$5.15AWG 9.22
-61.36%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.13
$3.47AWG 6.21
-40.06%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.11
$2.24AWG 4.00
-20.09%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$37.87
$1.94AWG 3.47
12.37%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.73
$2.58AWG 4.62
-58.14%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.04
$1.54AWG 2.75
-32.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.1
$10.05AWG 17.98
-60.50%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$178
$10.22AWG 18.30
-0.20%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.04
$3.87AWG 6.92
-55.30%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.46
$4.30AWG 7.69
-41.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Oranjestad
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.02
$2.22AWG 3.98
-76.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$469
$30.45AWG 54.5
-11.43%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$54.7
$17.12AWG 30.64
-81.66%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$41.80
$4.00AWG 7.16
-40.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$53.7
$24.65AWG 44.13
-87.46%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.16
$1.47AWG 2.63
-13.61%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$537.3K
$26.5KAWG 47.5K
16.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$405.7K
$35.0KAWG 62.6K
-33.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Oranjestad
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,427
$257AWG 460
-68.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$391
$49.05AWG 87.8
-54.23%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$516
$105AWG 187
-71.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Oranjestad
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$903
$107AWG 192
-51.61%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$325
$25.58AWG 45.79
-27.01%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$86.5
$12.11AWG 21.67
-58.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Oranjestad
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,442
$246AWG 440
-19.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$91.7K
$8,715AWG 15.6K
-39.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Oranjestad
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$632
$58.9AWG 105
-38.32%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$697
$50.0AWG 89.5
-19.92%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,390
$108AWG 193
-26.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,547
$103AWG 184
-13.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Oranjestad
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.8K
$682AWG 1,220
41.33%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,086
$571AWG 1,021
-18.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.8K
$1,473AWG 2,636
8.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.0K
$1,356AWG 2,428
-10.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$68.6K
$2,268AWG 4,059
73.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.2K
$1,727AWG 3,092
273.26%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Oranjestad
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.5K
$1,692AWG 3,029
-57.42%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
6.25
82.72%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Oranjestad: April 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $682 in Oranjestad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Oranjestad pays 135% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $82.0 in Oranjestad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $365 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Playa del Carmen vs Oranjestad: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Playa del Carmen and Oranjestad?
Playa del Carmen and Oranjestad differ by about 55% in total monthly costs ($1,287 vs $1,989 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Oranjestad earns 135% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Playa del Carmen and Oranjestad?
Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $682 in Oranjestad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Playa del Carmen and Oranjestad?
A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 13% less than in Oranjestad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Playa del Carmen and Oranjestad?
Childcare runs $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $246 in Oranjestad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,989 in Oranjestad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Oranjestad. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Oranjestad?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Playa del Carmen or Oranjestad safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Oranjestad are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Playa del Carmen or Oranjestad?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Oranjestad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Playa del Carmen vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado