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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $852 in Rivas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,612 in Rivas, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,371 in Rivas, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 53% more than Rivas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Rivas are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Rivas 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$3.95 NIO 145

202.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$27.87 NIO 1,021

70.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$7.49 NIO 274

56.88%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$1.27 NIO 46.46

224.41%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.89 NIO 32.62

57.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.71 NIO 26.03

28.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.45 NIO 53.2

121.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.04 NIO 74.7

246.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.22 NIO 44.84

37.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$2.31 NIO 84.6

-6.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.79 NIO 65.7

-1.12%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.37 NIO 86.8

18.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$11.75 NIO 430

-21.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$6.73 NIO 246

37.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$7.13 NIO 261

77.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.69 NIO 135

-20.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$0.62 NIO 22.58

154.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.85 NIO 67.7

20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$2.27 NIO 83.1

3.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$3.83 NIO 140

-48.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$2.24 NIO 81.9

-11.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.01 NIO 36.82

22.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.03 NIO 37.55

17.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$2.63 NIO 96.4

74.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$14.60 NIO 535

-27.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.48 NIO 54.2

14.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.31 NIO 84.6

19.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$1.66 NIO 60.9

215.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.67 NIO 61.3

118.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$6.62 NIO 243

-12.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.33 NIO 48.69

15.79%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$23.1K NIO 847.5K

-1.46%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$26.7K NIO 978.8K

-3.41%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$120 NIO 4,377

-24.13%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$16.80 NIO 615

49.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$37.05 NIO 1,357

-14.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$19.79 NIO 725

247.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$6.99 NIO 256

320.17%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$8.43 NIO 309

-42.35%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$237 NIO 8,685

-4.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$6,160 NIO 225.6K

-31.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$70.4 NIO 2,576

-32.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$72.4 NIO 2,650

-39.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$131 NIO 4,809

-38.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$109 NIO 3,995

-16.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$151 NIO 5,513

621.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$126 NIO 4,604

225.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$765 NIO 28.0K

157.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$805 NIO 29.5K

59.14%

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

$508 NIO 18.6K

52.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

10.25

11.71%

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 Rivas: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $151 in Rivas. 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 52% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $28.00 in Rivas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $257 – making Rivas 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 Rivas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 53%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,278 in Rivas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rivas, 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $852 in Rivas. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $237 in Rivas. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Rivas, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Rivas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rivas – 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 Rivas. 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.