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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,343 in Oranjestad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,189 in Oranjestad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $6,035 in Oranjestad.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 46% less than in Oranjestad, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 7% below, Oranjestad is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$21.82 AWG 39.11

-46.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$79.9 AWG 143

-41.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$10.07 AWG 18.05

17.97%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$4.29 AWG 7.69

-7.23%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$1.41 AWG 2.52

1.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$1.59 AWG 2.85

-48.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$3.08 AWG 5.53

3.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$4.02 AWG 7.20

68.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$1.81 AWG 3.25

-7.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$3.03 AWG 5.42

-27.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$2.92 AWG 5.23

-41.44%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$5.46 AWG 9.78

-49.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$12.64 AWG 22.66

-24.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$9.49 AWG 17.01

-5.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$12.01 AWG 21.53

6.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$4.76 AWG 8.53

-39.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$2.20 AWG 3.95

-31.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$4.94 AWG 8.85

-56.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$3.41 AWG 6.12

-33.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$2.20 AWG 3.94

-10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$1.96 AWG 3.52

1.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$2.58 AWG 4.62

-52.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$1.56 AWG 2.80

-23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$9.85 AWG 17.65

-53.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$9.84 AWG 17.64

5.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$3.89 AWG 6.97

-58.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$4.36 AWG 7.81

-33.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$2.14 AWG 3.84

-71.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

$29.96 AWG 53.7

-3.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$17.19 AWG 30.81

-68.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$3.83 AWG 6.87

-2.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$24.50 AWG 43.92

-76.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$2.04 AWG 3.65

-24.51%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$26.5K AWG 47.5K

-14.91%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$35.9K AWG 64.4K

-27.51%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$250 AWG 449

-63.49%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$48.21 AWG 86.4

-47.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$107 AWG 191

-70.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$62.5 AWG 112

7.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

$25.95 AWG 46.51

12.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$11.87 AWG 21.28

-59.06%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$251 AWG 450

-10.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$8,523 AWG 15.3K

-50.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$60.9 AWG 109

-22.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$50.1 AWG 89.9

-11.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$111 AWG 198

-27.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$102 AWG 182

-8.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$935 AWG 1,676

13.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$936 AWG 1,678

-58.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$2,698 AWG 4,837

-20.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$3,088 AWG 5,535

-58.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

$2,288 AWG 4,101

74.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

$1,710 AWG 3,065

280.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$1,708 AWG 3,061

-55.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.25

83.20%

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 Oranjestad: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $935 in Oranjestad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oranjestad pays 125% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $80.0 in Oranjestad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $365 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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 Oranjestad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Oranjestad differ by about 85% in total monthly costs ($1,266 vs $2,343 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 125% lower in Oranjestad. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $935 in Oranjestad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 4% less than in Oranjestad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $224 in Playa del Carmen versus $251 in Oranjestad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,343 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.

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.

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.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 85% less than in Oranjestad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.