Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Rio Branco Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Rio Branco

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $729 in Rio Branco, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,137 in Rio Branco, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,545 in Rio Branco, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 73% more than Rio Branco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Rio Branco are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Rio Branco 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$5.33 R$27.04

119.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$23.38 R$119

79.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$7.68 R$38.97

36.85%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.26 R$11.46

58.85%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.21 R$6.15

24.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.69 R$3.49

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.76 R$8.95

68.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$1.41 R$7.16

212.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.37 R$6.97

2.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.45 R$7.36

29.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.15 R$5.82

35.65%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.02 R$10.24

29.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$8.19 R$41.54

1.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.14 R$21.01

101.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$6.14 R$31.16

76.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.08 R$10.57

30.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.26 R$6.40

19.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.14 R$5.79

64.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.51 R$7.65

45.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.14 R$5.77

63.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.09 R$5.54

104.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.75 R$3.81

42.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.62 R$3.16

75.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.15 R$10.92

94.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$7.76 R$39.39

34.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.25 R$6.35

32.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.99 R$10.11

31.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.62 R$3.13

-12.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$37.87 R$192

-30.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$1.07 R$5.42

187.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.74 R$3.77

224.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$6.51 R$33.03

-51.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.13 R$5.72

15.93%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$20.6K R$104.6K

44.63%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$28.1K R$142.4K

-16.91%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$61.1 R$310

32.98%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$13.59 R$69.0

66.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$17.91 R$90.9

67.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$17.68 R$89.7

199.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$21.88 R$111

-15.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$3.54 R$17.97

38.98%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$143 R$727

40.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$6,382 R$32.4K

-18.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$49.02 R$249

-26.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$42.74 R$217

-6.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$76.4 R$388

4.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$63.1 R$320

36.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$314 R$1,594

211.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$175 R$889

168.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$502 R$2,546

229.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$307 R$1,557

292.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$1,285 R$6,523

207.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,571 R$7,972

320.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$249 R$1,264

171.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.92

4.58%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Rio Branco: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $314 in Rio Branco. 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 172% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $23.00 in Rio Branco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $177 – making Rio Branco 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 Rio Branco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 73%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,094 in Rio Branco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $729 in Rio Branco. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 45% less in Rio Branco. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Rio Branco, where all-in costs run around $729, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Rio Branco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Rio Branco. 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.