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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,139 in Rarotonga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,617 in Rarotonga, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,096 in Rarotonga, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 15% more than Rarotonga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Rarotonga are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Rarotonga 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$14.77 NZ$25.39

-19.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$52.7 NZ$90.7

-10.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$5.76 NZ$9.91

103.99%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$3.44 NZ$5.91

19.77%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$2.30 NZ$3.95

-39.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$2.28 NZ$3.93

-60.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$5.28 NZ$9.07

-39.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$5.31 NZ$9.13

33.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$2.85 NZ$4.90

-41.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$3.03 NZ$5.20

-29.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$6.25 NZ$10.74

-54.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$7.74 NZ$13.31

18.86%

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

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

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

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$11.92 NZ$20.49

-61.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$11.73 NZ$20.17

-10.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$3.46 NZ$5.95

-51.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$5.40 NZ$9.29

-48.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$2.92 NZ$5.02

-79.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$20.77 NZ$35.72

-74.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$35.89 NZ$61.7

-83.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.80 NZ$3.09

-14.44%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$11.7K NZ$20.2K

94.29%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$103 NZ$176

-11.63%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$49.34 NZ$84.8

-48.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$108 NZ$186

-70.68%

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

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

$226 MX$3,828

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$1,417 NZ$2,437

195.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$474 NZ$815

128.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$463 NZ$796

-11.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$710 NZ$1,221

177.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$656 NZ$1,129

95.20%

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

$4,121 NZ$7,085

-81.24%

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 Rarotonga: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $474 in Rarotonga. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 433% higher in Rarotonga, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $53.0 in Rarotonga. Groceries tell a different story – $278 in Playa del Carmen vs $159 in Rarotonga – so Rarotonga wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Rarotonga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 15%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,709 in Rarotonga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rarotonga, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 75% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $53.0 in Rarotonga. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Rarotonga, where all-in costs run around $1,139, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Rarotonga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rarotonga – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Rarotonga. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.