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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $955 in Rustenburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,481 in Rustenburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,007 in Rustenburg, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 35% more than Rustenburg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Rustenburg are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Rustenburg 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$11.18 R 188

6.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$44.02 R 738

-2.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$3.99 R 66.9

165.41%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.91 R 31.95

89.53%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.91 R 15.30

61.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.49 R 8.21

91.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.37 R 22.90

125.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.08 R 34.96

114.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.12 R 18.75

27.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.83 R 13.96

126.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.66 R 27.84

-1.81%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.92 R 32.22

37.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$5.60 R 93.9

46.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.14 R 69.5

100.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$6.64 R 111

67.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.58 R 26.49

67.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.37 R 22.98

9.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.27 R 21.34

56.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.58 R 26.56

31.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.83 R 13.89

115.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.76 R 12.81

186.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.09 R 18.27

-0.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.95 R 15.87

9.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.49 R 41.83

59.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$4.66 R 78.1

118.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.15 R 19.35

50.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.09 R 18.35

129.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$1.11 R 18.54

-53.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$44.10 R 740

-38.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.91 R 15.22

245.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.90 R 15.05

166.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$3.98 R 66.8

-22.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.28 R 21.41

-0.78%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$22.6K R 378.9K

36.66%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$23.7K R 397.0K

-1.50%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$69.0 R 1,157

18.82%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$12.82 R 215

75.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$43.70 R 733

-32.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$23.35 R 392

122.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$5.53 R 92.8

237.61%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$4.40 R 73.8

12.95%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$103 R 1,729

91.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$5,008 R 84.0K

5.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$50.9 R 854

-28.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$34.15 R 573

17.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$87.9 R 1,474

-9.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$78.1 R 1,310

13.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$308 R 5,167

212.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$330 R 5,534

40.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$685 R 11.5K

132.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$581 R 9,742

108.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$719 R 12.1K

447.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$601 R 10.1K

972.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$1,330 R 22.3K

-45.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.9

15.35%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Rustenburg: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $308 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 85% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $44.00 in Rustenburg. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $157 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 35%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,432 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $955 in Rustenburg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 64% less in Rustenburg. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Rustenburg, where all-in costs run around $955, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.