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: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,960 in Oranjestad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,168 in Oranjestad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,376 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 5% below, Oranjestad is 46% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$19.09 AWG 34.16

-37.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$81.0 AWG 145

-47.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$10.11 AWG 18.09

5.34%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.74 AWG 6.69

-7.75%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.43 AWG 2.55

4.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$1.59 AWG 2.85

-40.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$2.93 AWG 5.25

3.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$4.02 AWG 7.20

14.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.85 AWG 3.31

-25.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$2.93 AWG 5.25

-36.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$2.84 AWG 5.08

-43.31%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$5.36 AWG 9.60

-51.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$12.47 AWG 22.31

-33.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$9.18 AWG 16.42

-8.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$12.28 AWG 21.98

-13.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$4.66 AWG 8.35

-43.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.23 AWG 4.00

-33.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$4.89 AWG 8.75

-60.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$3.41 AWG 6.10

-38.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$2.28 AWG 4.09

-18.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.95 AWG 3.49

15.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$2.64 AWG 4.73

-59.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.53 AWG 2.74

-28.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$9.82 AWG 17.58

-57.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$9.80 AWG 17.55

6.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$4.04 AWG 7.23

-57.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$4.48 AWG 8.01

-41.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$2.21 AWG 3.96

-75.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$29.90 AWG 53.5

-9.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$17.09 AWG 30.58

-81.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$3.81 AWG 6.82

-34.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$24.91 AWG 44.59

-87.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.53 AWG 2.74

-16.99%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$26.2K AWG 46.8K

16.12%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$35.9K AWG 64.3K

-34.43%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$249 AWG 446

-66.67%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$48.19 AWG 86.2

-52.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$105 AWG 187

-71.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$108 AWG 193

-52.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$25.44 AWG 45.52

-27.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$12.16 AWG 21.76

-59.46%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$246 AWG 440

-19.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$8,439 AWG 15.1K

-37.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$60.1 AWG 108

-38.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$50.6 AWG 90.6

-21.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$111 AWG 198

-27.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$102 AWG 182

-11.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$686 AWG 1,227

39.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$561 AWG 1,005

-15.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$1,458 AWG 2,610

12.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$1,353 AWG 2,422

-9.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$2,256 AWG 4,037

73.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,704 AWG 3,049

279.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$1,749 AWG 3,131

-61.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.25

82.72%

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 Oranjestad: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $686 in Oranjestad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oranjestad pays 162% 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 $81.0 in Oranjestad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $362 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 54% in total monthly costs ($1,271 vs $1,960 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Oranjestad earns 162% less. 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: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $686 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 11% less than in Oranjestad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $197 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.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,960 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 54% less than in Oranjestad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.