🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,660 in Oristano.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,609 in Oristano.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,559 in Oristano.
🌍Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 24% less than in Oristano, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Oristano is 24% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Oristano
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.99MX$209
$23.39€20.49
-48.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.78MX$728
$93.0€81.4
-55.06%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.75MX$187
$5.94€5.20
80.98%
Cappuccino
$3.50MX$60.9
$1.71€1.50
104.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45MX$25.22
$2.87€2.51
-49.48%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88MX$15.41
$1.13€0.99
-22.12%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.95MX$51.3
$5.91€5.17
-50.08%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.51MX$78.6
$3.39€2.97
33.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Oristano
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$1.59€1.40
-10.06%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84MX$31.99
$2.28€2.00
-19.30%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.57MX$27.31
$3.43€3.00
-54.23%
Eggs
$2.51MX$43.74
$3.48€3.05
-27.87%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.28MX$144
$14.16€12.40
-41.53%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.43MX$147
$13.21€11.57
-36.18%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.68MX$186
$19.51€17.09
-45.26%
Apples(1kg)
$2.61MX$45.43
$1.71€1.49
52.63%
Banana(1kg)
$1.44MX$25.04
$1.52€1.33
-5.26%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.96MX$34.16
$2.21€1.94
-11.31%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.09MX$36.47
$3.55€3.11
-41.13%
Potato(1kg)
$1.85MX$32.24
$1.87€1.64
-1.07%
Onion(1kg)
$2.17MX$37.74
$2.04€1.79
6.37%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03MX$17.96
$1.41€1.24
-26.95%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07MX$18.70
$0.55€0.48
94.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.10MX$71.4
$6.99€6.12
-41.34%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.17MX$177
$7.82€6.85
30.05%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68MX$29.17
$1.69€1.48
-0.59%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53MX$43.98
$1.35€1.18
87.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Oristano
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.51MX$8.87
$1.72€1.50
-70.35%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.04MX$453
$42.89€37.57
-39.29%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.23MX$56.3
$3.78€3.31
-14.55%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.41MX$41.88
$1.16€1.01
107.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.23MX$56.2
$29.47€25.81
-89.04%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.32MX$23.00
$2.09€1.83
-36.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7KMX$517.1K
$33.6K€29.5K
-11.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.7KMX$412.0K
$35.1K€30.8K
-32.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Oristano
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,428
$181€159
-54.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.95MX$400
$13.21€11.57
73.73%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.11MX$524
$27.55€24.13
9.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Oristano
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.0MX$905
$54.8€48.03
-5.23%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.53MX$323
$23.19€20.31
-20.09%
Cinema Ticket
$4.98MX$86.6
$9.13€7.99
-45.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Oristano
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$197MX$3,438
$547€479
-63.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,336MX$92.9K
$7,978€6,987
-33.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Oristano
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.60MX$620
$92.2€80.8
-61.40%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.33MX$702
$63.4€55.5
-36.34%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$78.8MX$1,371
$84.8€74.3
-7.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,549
$120€105
-25.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Oristano
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$947MX$16.5K
$746€653
26.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$474MX$8,254
$577€506
-17.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,644MX$28.6K
$1,231€1,078
33.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,211MX$21.1K
$926€811
30.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,056MX$70.6K
$2,913€2,551
39.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,470MX$112.7K
$2,018€1,767
220.64%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Oristano
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$654MX$11.4K
$1,938€1,698
-66.27%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
4.87
134.50%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026
Last update for Oristano: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $746 in Oristano. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Oristano pays 196% 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 $93.0 in Oristano for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $326 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 Oristano: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Oristano?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Oristano. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Playa del Carmen or in Oristano?
On paper, salaries run 196% lower in Oristano. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen compared to Oristano?
Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $746 in Oristano. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Oristano?
Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $547 in Oristano. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Playa del Carmen or in Oristano?
Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Oristano. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Playa del Carmen or in Oristano?
At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,660 in Oristano, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Oristano. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Oristano?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,256 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
How safe is Playa del Carmen compared to Oristano?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Oristano are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Oristano. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared