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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,365 in Rarotonga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,018 in Rarotonga, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,671 in Rarotonga, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 7% cheaper than Rarotonga, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Rarotonga is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$12.11 NZ$20.69

-1.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$61.2 NZ$105

-29.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$7.65 NZ$13.06

39.22%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$4.31 NZ$7.36

-19.95%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$3.38 NZ$5.77

-55.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$2.75 NZ$4.70

-65.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$6.66 NZ$11.36

-54.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$5.56 NZ$9.49

-17.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$2.22 NZ$3.79

-37.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$2.93 NZ$5.00

-36.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.54 NZ$2.63

4.55%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$6.68 NZ$11.40

-61.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$8.87 NZ$15.15

-6.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$7.42 NZ$12.67

12.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$7.03 NZ$12.01

51.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.97 NZ$5.07

-11.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$3.08 NZ$5.26

-51.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$3.51 NZ$5.99

-45.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$2.92 NZ$4.99

-28.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.77 NZ$3.03

5.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.35 NZ$2.31

67.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.85 NZ$3.16

-42.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$3.70 NZ$6.31

-70.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$15.03 NZ$25.66

-72.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$11.47 NZ$19.58

-9.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$3.64 NZ$6.21

-52.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$5.40 NZ$9.21

-51.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$2.94 NZ$5.01

-81.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$20.97 NZ$35.80

-85.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$36.77 NZ$62.8

-91.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.79 NZ$3.06

-29.05%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$12.3K NZ$21.0K

147.50%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$89.9 NZ$154

-7.72%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$29.74 NZ$50.8

-23.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$106 NZ$180

-72.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$25.37 NZ$43.32

101.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$24.51 NZ$41.86

-25.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$6.77 NZ$11.56

-27.18%

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

$197 MX$3,386

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$1,420 NZ$2,424

271.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$484 NZ$827

97.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$474 NZ$809

0.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$714 NZ$1,219

130.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$729 NZ$1,245

67.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$4,018 NZ$6,861

-83.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

42.75%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Rarotonga: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $484 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 502% higher in Rarotonga, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $61.0 in Rarotonga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $343 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 – Rarotonga is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,048 in Rarotonga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 37% more in Rarotonga, 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $61.0 in Rarotonga. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Rarotonga at $1,365. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rarotonga it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rarotonga makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.