😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $994 in Oudtshoorn.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,571 in Oudtshoorn.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,147 in Oudtshoorn.
😐Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 29% more expensive than Oudtshoorn, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen4% lower, Oudtshoorn26% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Oudtshoorn
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$208
$8.66R 143
37.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$744
$33.13R 548
29.04%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$184
$4.81R 79.6
120.17%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.0
$2.02R 33.46
79.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.54
$1.04R 17.13
41.35%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.41
$0.76R 12.53
23.68%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$53.8
$2.27R 37.52
36.12%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$77.6
$2.56R 42.39
74.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Oudtshoorn
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.80
$1.11R 18.32
28.83%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.79
$1.01R 16.64
86.14%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.34
$1.57R 25.92
3.82%
Eggs
$2.64MX$45.99
$2.43R 40.15
8.64%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$143
$7.66R 127
7.18%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$144
$4.44R 73.5
86.71%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$193
$6.58R 109
68.69%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.14
$1.68R 27.74
57.74%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.11
$1.53R 25.34
-1.96%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.59
$1.52R 25.22
30.92%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.13
$1.63R 26.93
27.61%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.11
$1.33R 21.97
34.59%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$37.87
$1.23R 20.28
77.24%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.73
$1.05R 17.37
2.86%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.04
$0.91R 15.14
14.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.1
$2.85R 47.17
39.30%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$178
$5.54R 91.6
84.12%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.04
$1.32R 21.90
31.06%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.46
$1.64R 27.11
52.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Oudtshoorn
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.02
$1.62R 26.78
-67.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$469
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$54.7
$1.14R 18.94
175.44%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$41.80
$0.90R 14.95
166.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$53.7
$4.06R 67.1
-23.89%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.16
$1.24R 20.49
2.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$537.3K
$21.1KR 348.5K
46.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$405.7K
$23.8KR 394.4K
-2.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Oudtshoorn
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,427
$120R 1,983
-31.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$391
$35.69R 591
-37.10%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$516
$40.85R 676
-27.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Oudtshoorn
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$903
$31.20R 516
66.25%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$325
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$86.5
$6.75R 112
-26.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Oudtshoorn
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,442
$197R 3,258
0.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$91.7K
$4,433R 73.4K
18.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Oudtshoorn
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$632
$49.73R 823
-26.93%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$697
$31.60R 523
26.74%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,390
$87.2R 1,443
-8.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,547
$79.9R 1,321
11.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Oudtshoorn
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.8K
$365R 6,047
163.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,086
$330R 5,455
41.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.8K
$683R 11.3K
133.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.0K
$684R 11.3K
76.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$68.6K
$705R 11.7K
458.96%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.2K
$731R 12.1K
781.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Oudtshoorn
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
11.51
-0.78%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Last update for Oudtshoorn: April 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $365 in Oudtshoorn. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $33.00 in Oudtshoorn for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $176 per month, with Oudtshoorn 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 Oudtshoorn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Oudtshoorn?
Oudtshoorn wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Oudtshoorn the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen vs Oudtshoorn?
You'd need roughly $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $1,491 in Oudtshoorn 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen vs Oudtshoorn?
Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $365 in Oudtshoorn. 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 Oudtshoorn?
Childcare runs $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $197 in Oudtshoorn. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Playa del Carmen vs Oudtshoorn?
Dining out is cheaper in Oudtshoorn – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Playa del Carmen or Oudtshoorn?
At $994 in Oudtshoorn versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Oudtshoorn but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Oudtshoorn the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Oudtshoorn?
Both work as nomad bases, but Oudtshoorn delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $994 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Oudtshoorn hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Oudtshoorn gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Playa del Carmen. 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