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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,103 in Vac, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,758 in Vac, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,412 in Vac, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 15% more than Vac, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Vac are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Vac 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$8.78 Ft 2,655

35.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$46.01 Ft 13.9K

-6.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$8.70 Ft 2,633

22.41%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.11 Ft 639

63.51%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.39 Ft 421

7.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$1.04 Ft 314

-8.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.85 Ft 560

63.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.30 Ft 694

100.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.06 Ft 319

30.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.52 Ft 459

21.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.83 Ft 553

-12.02%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.58 Ft 782

0.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$9.50 Ft 2,875

-13.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$5.89 Ft 1,781

42.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$11.75 Ft 3,554

-9.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.89 Ft 573

39.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.91 Ft 577

-21.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.06 Ft 623

-6.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$3.11 Ft 940

-32.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.08 Ft 327

72.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.26 Ft 381

79.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.56 Ft 471

-32.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.55 Ft 167

98.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$6.65 Ft 2,011

-37.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$5.33 Ft 1,612

94.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.13 Ft 341

52.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.41 Ft 426

85.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$1.18 Ft 357

-54.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$25.22 Ft 7,631

6.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$2.90 Ft 876

7.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.13 Ft 341

122.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$16.98 Ft 5,138

-81.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.73 Ft 525

-26.59%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$25.6K Ft 7.7M

18.69%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$31.4K Ft 9.5M

-25.07%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$140 Ft 42.4K

-40.82%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$26.75 Ft 8,094

-15.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$20.01 Ft 6,055

47.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$46.65 Ft 14.1K

9.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$16.83 Ft 5,093

8.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$7.47 Ft 2,261

-34.00%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$300 Ft 90.7K

-34.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$6,864 Ft 2.1M

-23.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$69.8 Ft 21.1K

-47.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$27.54 Ft 8,331

44.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$75.6 Ft 22.9K

5.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$85.1 Ft 25.7K

5.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$434 Ft 131.4K

120.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$339 Ft 102.7K

40.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$785 Ft 237.4K

109.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$710 Ft 214.9K

72.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$3,235 Ft 978.7K

21.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$2,436 Ft 737.0K

165.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$1,473 Ft 445.5K

-54.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.4

54.32%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Vac: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $434 in Vac. 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 121% higher in Vac, 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 $46.00 in Vac. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $219 in Vac – so Vac 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 Vac: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 15%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,655 in Vac. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Vac, 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,103 in Vac. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 7% less in Vac. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Vac, where all-in costs run around $1,103, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Vac it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Vac – 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 Vac. 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.