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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,001 in Rustenburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,563 in Rustenburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,125 in Rustenburg, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 33% more than Rustenburg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Rustenburg are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Rustenburg 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$9.23 R 149

41.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$48.09 R 775

-3.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$7.08 R 114

77.82%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$2.18 R 35.12

83.49%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$0.97 R 15.65

46.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$0.50 R 7.98

62.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$1.50 R 24.11

103.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$2.22 R 35.80

207.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$1.18 R 18.93

44.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$1.06 R 17.13

109.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$1.80 R 28.94

-4.44%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$2.59 R 41.64

4.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$7.89 R 127

18.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$4.77 R 76.9

85.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$7.27 R 117

75.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$1.81 R 29.13

72.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$1.60 R 25.82

-3.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$1.43 R 22.99

50.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$1.53 R 24.63

53.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$1.21 R 19.51

66.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$1.07 R 17.27

85.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$1.44 R 23.25

-13.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$1.10 R 17.69

8.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$2.71 R 43.64

71.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$3.13 R 50.4

234.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$1.22 R 19.65

29.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$1.22 R 19.72

139.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$0.89 R 14.27

497.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$0.91 R 14.67

308.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$15.01 R 242

-61.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$1.40 R 22.53

10.71%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$28.9K R 466.0K

-22.67%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$27.9K R 449.2K

-8.31%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$76.2 R 1,228

17.15%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$13.93 R 224

67.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$39.61 R 638

-19.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$24.28 R 391

183.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

$6.27 R 101

368.90%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$5.71 R 92.0

-11.38%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$112 R 1,810

97.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$5,720 R 92.1K

-24.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$58.7 R 945

-21.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$45.66 R 735

-2.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$99.3 R 1,600

-3.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$109 R 1,761

-15.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$343 R 5,527

211.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$365 R 5,882

7.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

$746 R 12.0K

166.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$627 R 10.1K

108.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$1,113 R 17.9K

-32.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

9.9

17.17%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Rustenburg: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $343 in Rustenburg. 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 49% higher in Rustenburg, 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 $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $48.00 in Rustenburg. Groceries tell a different story – $277 in Playa del Carmen vs $181 in Rustenburg – so Rustenburg 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 Rustenburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 33%, 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 $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,502 in Rustenburg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rustenburg, 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 $1,330 in Playa del Carmen and $1,001 in Rustenburg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $222 per month in Playa del Carmen and $112 in Rustenburg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Rustenburg, where all-in costs run around $1,001, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. In Rustenburg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rustenburg – 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 Rustenburg. 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.