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 $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $690 in Rivas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,090 in Rivas, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,491 in Rivas, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 83% more than Rivas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Rivas are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Rivas 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$3.89 NIO 143

200.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$27.51 NIO 1,013

52.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$7.04 NIO 259

47.73%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$1.23 NIO 45.31

193.50%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$0.84 NIO 30.89

75.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$0.75 NIO 27.49

21.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$1.34 NIO 49.36

126.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$2.04 NIO 74.9

119.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$1.27 NIO 46.93

8.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$2.44 NIO 89.8

-24.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$1.86 NIO 68.6

-13.44%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$2.31 NIO 84.9

11.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$11.28 NIO 415

-24.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$6.74 NIO 248

25.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$7.83 NIO 288

40.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$3.88 NIO 143

-29.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$0.85 NIO 31.34

76.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$1.79 NIO 65.7

9.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$2.21 NIO 81.3

-4.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$3.98 NIO 146

-53.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$2.23 NIO 82.3

-2.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$1.06 NIO 39.02

0.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$1.05 NIO 38.53

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$2.60 NIO 95.7

61.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$14.69 NIO 541

-30.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$1.46 NIO 53.9

14.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$2.16 NIO 79.4

15.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$1.54 NIO 56.6

101.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$6.64 NIO 245

-51.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$1.31 NIO 48.31

-3.82%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$23.3K NIO 859.1K

29.28%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$26.3K NIO 969.5K

-10.96%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$97.4 NIO 3,586

-13.76%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$16.75 NIO 617

32.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$37.04 NIO 1,364

-19.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$7.78 NIO 287

-36.38%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$123 NIO 4,528

61.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$5,991 NIO 220.6K

-11.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$78.7 NIO 2,898

-54.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$73.9 NIO 2,721

-45.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$134 NIO 4,932

-41.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$109 NIO 4,006

-20.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$508 NIO 18.7K

40.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.25

11.41%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Rivas: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $0 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 41% 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 in Playa del Carmen versus $28 in Rivas. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $262 in Rivas – so Playa del Carmen 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 Rivas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 83%, 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 $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,035 in Rivas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $690 in Rivas. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $123 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 $690, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. 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.