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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,099 in Vac, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,780 in Vac, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,462 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 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$9.09 Ft 2,876

28.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$46.56 Ft 14.7K

-10.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$8.71 Ft 2,755

20.67%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$2.15 Ft 679

66.98%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$1.39 Ft 438

8.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$1.03 Ft 326

-10.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$1.85 Ft 585

60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$2.28 Ft 720

93.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.06 Ft 334

32.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$1.57 Ft 498

19.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.91 Ft 606

-18.32%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$2.68 Ft 848

-2.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$9.21 Ft 2,914

-9.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$5.86 Ft 1,855

42.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$11.80 Ft 3,733

-7.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$1.81 Ft 571

49.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.89 Ft 598

-20.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$2.03 Ft 641

-7.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$3.11 Ft 983

-29.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$1.10 Ft 347

69.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$1.26 Ft 397

76.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$1.50 Ft 473

-28.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.56 Ft 177

94.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$6.92 Ft 2,191

-39.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$5.04 Ft 1,594

106.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.08 Ft 342

53.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$1.45 Ft 460

80.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$1.17 Ft 370

-53.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

$25.18 Ft 7,967

3.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$2.83 Ft 896

8.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$1.11 Ft 351

116.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$16.98 Ft 5,372

-81.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.68 Ft 530

-22.02%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$26.1K Ft 8.3M

14.03%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$30.5K Ft 9.6M

-23.47%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$140 Ft 44.4K

-42.12%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$26.41 Ft 8,356

-14.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$19.91 Ft 6,300

50.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$47.20 Ft 14.9K

12.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$16.78 Ft 5,307

9.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$7.32 Ft 2,317

-32.79%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$294 Ft 93.1K

-31.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$6,817 Ft 2.2M

-24.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$70.1 Ft 22.2K

-48.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$26.90 Ft 8,511

49.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$74.3 Ft 23.5K

7.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$85.0 Ft 26.9K

1.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$427 Ft 135.2K

128.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$343 Ft 108.5K

37.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$780 Ft 246.7K

111.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$725 Ft 229.5K

65.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$3,140 Ft 993.4K

25.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$2,368 Ft 749.3K

178.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$1,462 Ft 462.7K

-53.73%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Vac: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $427 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 116% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $47.00 in Vac. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $218 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,649 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,099 in Vac. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 4% 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 $1,099, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.