Comparación del coste de vida entre Playa del Carmen y Vac Comparación del coste de vida entre Playa del Carmen y Vac

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,136 in Vac, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,780 in Vac, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,424 in Vac, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 13% more than Vac, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Vac are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Vac 15% lower.

Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Vac
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94 MX$209
$8.82 Ft 2,753
35.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75 MX$748
$45.76 Ft 14.3K
-6.58%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.59 MX$185
$8.75 Ft 2,729
21.03%
Cappuccino
$3.62 MX$63.4
$2.09 Ft 651
73.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 MX$25.69
$1.38 Ft 431
6.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 MX$16.51
$1.08 Ft 338
-12.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.09 MX$54.1
$1.90 Ft 594
62.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46 MX$78.0
$2.18 Ft 680
104.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Vac
Diferencia
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.94
$1.10 Ft 342
30.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 MX$32.97
$1.49 Ft 465
26.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 MX$28.50
$1.82 Ft 567
-10.44%
Eggs
$2.64 MX$46.26
$2.69 Ft 838
-1.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.21 MX$144
$9.53 Ft 2,974
-13.85%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.29 MX$145
$5.84 Ft 1,823
41.95%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.10 MX$194
$11.59 Ft 3,618
-4.23%
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 MX$46.40
$1.81 Ft 564
46.41%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$26.26
$1.93 Ft 602
-22.28%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 MX$34.79
$2.02 Ft 632
-1.49%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 MX$36.33
$3.02 Ft 942
-31.13%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 MX$31.29
$1.14 Ft 354
57.02%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 MX$38.09
$1.26 Ft 393
73.02%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 MX$18.84
$1.56 Ft 487
-30.77%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04 MX$18.15
$0.52 Ft 163
100.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97 MX$69.5
$6.68 Ft 2,086
-40.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.20 MX$179
$5.16 Ft 1,611
97.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 MX$30.22
$1.08 Ft 338
60.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 MX$43.71
$1.42 Ft 444
76.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Vac
Diferencia
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.52 MX$9.07
$1.18 Ft 369
-55.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.97 MX$472
$24.77 Ft 7,727
8.88%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 MX$55.0
$2.89 Ft 903
8.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.40 MX$42.04
$1.11 Ft 346
116.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.09 MX$54.0
$17.31 Ft 5,401
-82.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MX$22.28
$1.77 Ft 551
-28.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9K MX$540.4K
$26.0K Ft 8.1M
18.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$408.0K
$31.4K Ft 9.8M
-25.82%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Vac
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.0 MX$1,435
$143 Ft 44.7K
-42.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45 MX$393
$26.24 Ft 8,186
-14.44%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66 MX$519
$19.77 Ft 6,169
50.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Vac
Diferencia
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.9 MX$908
$46.69 Ft 14.6K
11.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67 MX$327
$16.98 Ft 5,298
9.95%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97 MX$87.0
$7.21 Ft 2,250
-31.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Vac
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$198 MX$3,462
$289 Ft 90.2K
-31.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,273 MX$92.3K
$6,852 Ft 2.1M
-23.05%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Vac
Diferencia
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34 MX$636
$72.1 Ft 22.5K
-49.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05 MX$701
$27.08 Ft 8,448
47.90%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 MX$1,398
$75.6 Ft 23.6K
5.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9 MX$1,555
$85.0 Ft 26.5K
4.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Vac
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$963 MX$16.9K
$426 Ft 133.1K
125.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$465 MX$8,133
$351 Ft 109.5K
32.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,596 MX$27.9K
$792 Ft 247.0K
101.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,209 MX$21.2K
$719 Ft 224.4K
68.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,942 MX$69.0K
$3,076 Ft 959.9K
28.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,448 MX$112.8K
$2,442 Ft 761.8K
164.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Vac
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$720 MX$12.6K
$1,499 Ft 467.8K
-51.95%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
7.4
54.32%

Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.

Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Última actualización para Vac: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $426 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 108% 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 – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $217 in Vac – so Vac wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)

El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Playa del Carmen vs Vac: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Vac cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 13%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,704 in Vac. 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 Vac, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs Vac?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,136 in Vac. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 9% less in Vac. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Vac?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Vac, where all-in costs run around $1,136, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Vac it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Vac more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Vac?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

Playa del Carmen vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado

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