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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,985 in Oranjestad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,132 in Oranjestad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,279 in Oranjestad.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 37% less than in Oranjestad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Oranjestad is 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$18.90 AWG 33.83

-37.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$80.3 AWG 144

-47.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$10.45 AWG 18.70

0.57%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$3.74 AWG 6.70

-4.01%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.41 AWG 2.52

7.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$1.61 AWG 2.89

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.94 AWG 5.27

0.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.95 AWG 7.07

11.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.90 AWG 3.40

-26.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$3.02 AWG 5.40

-37.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$2.89 AWG 5.17

-46.02%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$5.31 AWG 9.50

-50.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$12.56 AWG 22.48

-33.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$9.06 AWG 16.22

-7.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$12.32 AWG 22.05

-11.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$4.61 AWG 8.24

-41.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.30 AWG 4.12

-34.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$4.94 AWG 8.84

-62.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$3.54 AWG 6.34

-38.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.23 AWG 4.00

-16.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.95 AWG 3.48

14.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$2.67 AWG 4.78

-59.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.58 AWG 2.83

-31.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$9.95 AWG 17.80

-57.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$10.25 AWG 18.34

1.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$3.91 AWG 6.99

-57.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$4.44 AWG 7.94

-41.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$2.21 AWG 3.95

-75.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$29.60 AWG 53.0

-11.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$17.15 AWG 30.70

-82.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$3.79 AWG 6.78

-36.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$24.63 AWG 44.07

-87.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.53 AWG 2.73

-14.38%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$26.4K AWG 47.3K

12.85%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$35.5K AWG 63.6K

-34.37%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$250 AWG 447

-67.47%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$48.78 AWG 87.3

-53.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$105 AWG 189

-71.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$105 AWG 189

-49.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$26.32 AWG 47.09

-30.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$11.85 AWG 21.21

-58.48%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$246 AWG 441

-18.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$8,679 AWG 15.5K

-40.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$60.0 AWG 107

-40.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$50.1 AWG 89.6

-19.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$108 AWG 194

-26.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$102 AWG 183

-15.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$669 AWG 1,198

46.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$577 AWG 1,033

-18.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$1,451 AWG 2,596

13.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$1,361 AWG 2,436

-11.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,204 AWG 3,944

79.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,736 AWG 3,107

280.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$1,737 AWG 3,108

-61.04%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Oranjestad: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $669 in Oranjestad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oranjestad pays 157% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $80.0 in Oranjestad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 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 58% in total monthly costs ($1,260 vs $1,985 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 157% 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: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $669 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 13% less than in Oranjestad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $201 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,985 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 58% less than in Oranjestad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.