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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $368 in Orhei.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $607 in Orhei.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $846 in Orhei.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 254% more expensive than in Orhei, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Orhei 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$11.88 MDL 204

0.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$23.25 MDL 399

103.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$7.51 MDL 129

56.46%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$1.42 MDL 24.35

190.14%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.84 MDL 14.38

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.45 MDL 7.73

102.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.15 MDL 19.77

179.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$1.49 MDL 25.55

374.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.07 MDL 18.35

57.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.33 MDL 5.71

551.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.98 MDL 34.00

42.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.98 MDL 34.03

-20.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.66 MDL 11.28

201.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.57 MDL 9.76

112.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.18 MDL 3.14

233.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$1.18 MDL 20.28

344.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.64 MDL 28.20

-6.10%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$21.4K MDL 367.8K

20.44%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$62.9 MDL 1,080

44.13%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$7.17 MDL 123

251.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$10.69 MDL 183

197.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$3.52 MDL 60.3

38.07%

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

$226 MX$3,828

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$34.78 MDL 597

36.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$34.93 MDL 599

24.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$113 MDL 1,934

-28.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$34.94 MDL 600

161.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Orhei: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $23.00 in Orhei for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $43.00 per month, with Orhei 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 Orhei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Orhei is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 254% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,958 in Playa del Carmen and $553 in Orhei to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 551% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Orhei – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $368 in Orhei versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Orhei but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Orhei the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Orhei is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Orhei 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 Orhei gentler on the wallet – expenses run 254% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.