Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sete Lagoas

For one person, living is cheaper in Sete Lagoas: $632 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Sete Lagoas, Brazil
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Sete Lagoas
🇧🇷 Brazil
$632
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Sete Lagoas

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Sete Lagoas actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $632 in Sete Lagoas, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Sete Lagoas $632

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,005 in Sete Lagoas, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Sete Lagoas $1,005

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,378 in Sete Lagoas, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Sete Lagoas $1,378

Playa del Carmen costs about 90% more than Sete Lagoas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sete Lagoas are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 12% lower, Sete Lagoas 54% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Sete Lagoas
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$204
$5.74 R$30.69
90.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$808
$21.20 R$113
104.58%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$220
$5.14 R$27.48
129.18%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.0
$0.53 R$2.85
618.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$23.90
$0.89 R$4.78
43.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.59
$0.54 R$2.88
44.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.0
$1.09 R$5.82
190.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.0
$1.74 R$9.30
183.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Sete Lagoas
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.22
$0.87 R$4.65
62.07%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.33
$0.67 R$3.60
231.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.42
$1.32 R$7.05
7.58%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.03
$1.67 R$8.93
50.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$135
$5.69 R$30.43
27.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$143
$2.78 R$14.86
176.98%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$237
$7.42 R$39.70
71.02%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.9
$0.92 R$4.91
202.17%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.50
$1.08 R$5.76
26.85%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.55
$0.54 R$2.88
372.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.58
$0.91 R$4.84
132.97%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.13
$0.61 R$3.27
218.03%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.16
$0.59 R$3.14
220.34%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.37
$0.52 R$2.78
121.15%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$21.98
$0.51 R$2.70
131.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.1
$1.52 R$8.13
182.89%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$185
$5.60 R$29.95
77.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.52
$0.58 R$3.11
172.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$49.79
$0.90 R$4.81
196.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Sete Lagoas
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.31
$0.91 R$4.88
-39.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$496
$41.07 R$220
-35.18%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$92.6
$0.39 R$2.06
1174.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.1
$0.27 R$1.43
1133.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$99.8
$7.71 R$41.20
-30.48%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$26.92
$0.96 R$5.16
50.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$385.2K
$13.0K R$69.5K
58.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$437.4K
$22.2K R$118.9K
5.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Sete Lagoas
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,581
$47.18 R$252
79.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$436
$9.25 R$49.44
153.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$534
$17.86 R$95.5
60.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Sete Lagoas
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,063
$23.90 R$128
138.70%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$539
$25.34 R$135
14.09%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$95.8
$3.68 R$19.70
39.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Sete Lagoas
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,851
$114 R$608
81.69%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.2K
$2,482 R$13.3K
58.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Sete Lagoas
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$808
$9.08 R$48.56
377.42%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$772
$9.40 R$50.3
340.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,383
$36.89 R$197
101.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,664
$36.89 R$197
141.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Sete Lagoas
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.3K
$341 R$1,821
187.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,099
$231 R$1,234
64.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$31.8K
$630 R$3,367
171.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.0K
$456 R$2,441
135.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$73.5K
$1,550 R$8,288
154.37%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$114.8K
$1,164 R$6,224
428.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Sete Lagoas
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.7K
$409 R$2,184
79.79%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
10.67
7.31%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Sete Lagoas: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Sete Lagoas
$231 39.4% $150
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Sete Lagoas
$125 50.8% $129
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Sete Lagoas
$82 59.3% $120
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Sete Lagoas
$74 45.7% $63
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Sete Lagoas
$42 62.8% $70
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Sete Lagoas
$31 53.6% $36
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Sete Lagoas
$46 7.9% $4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $341 in Sete Lagoas. 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 80% 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 $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $21 in Sete Lagoas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $125 – making Sete Lagoas the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇧🇷 Sete Lagoas
🕒 Local time
19:14 7:14 PM
21:14 9:14 PM
2 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
227,397
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 5.35 BRL (1 BRL = 0.187 USD). 1 EUR = 5.95 BRL (1 BRL = 0.168 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Sete Lagoas 6,450 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Sete Lagoas

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Sete Lagoas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sete Lagoas cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 90%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $948 in Sete Lagoas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Sete Lagoas, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $341 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Sete Lagoas?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $632 in Sete Lagoas. That makes Sete Lagoas about 48% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 35% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Sete Lagoas?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sete Lagoas, where all-in costs run around $632, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Sete Lagoas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Sete Lagoas more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Sete Lagoas – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Sete Lagoas. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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