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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,329 in Vac, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,280 in Vac, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,232 in Vac, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 5% cheaper than Vac, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Vac are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Vac 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$19.40 Ft 6,171

-40.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$115 Ft 36.6K

-59.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$9.70 Ft 3,086

22.47%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.39 Ft 760

66.53%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.58 Ft 503

-9.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$1.32 Ft 419

-37.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$2.24 Ft 711

42.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.38 Ft 758

185.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.30 Ft 414

29.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.47 Ft 469

49.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$2.32 Ft 740

-26.29%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$3.28 Ft 1,044

-16.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$8.52 Ft 2,709

12.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.10 Ft 1,940

47.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$16.85 Ft 5,359

-23.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.91 Ft 607

51.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.16 Ft 688

-30.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.11 Ft 672

1.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$2.40 Ft 762

-5.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.67 Ft 530

18.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.17 Ft 373

70.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.36 Ft 433

-9.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.51 Ft 164

135.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$7.79 Ft 2,479

-41.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$5.08 Ft 1,617

104.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$0.86 Ft 273

88.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.28 Ft 727

26.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$1.39 Ft 444

-56.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$30.20 Ft 9,608

-4.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$3.00 Ft 954

79.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.61 Ft 512

131.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$16.80 Ft 5,345

-65.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.84 Ft 586

-16.30%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$28.9K Ft 9.2M

-21.88%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$40.5K Ft 12.9M

-35.69%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$157 Ft 49.9K

-41.79%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$25.87 Ft 8,230

-2.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$22.02 Ft 7,006

41.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$49.73 Ft 15.8K

35.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$17.35 Ft 5,518

67.78%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$8.45 Ft 2,688

-42.49%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$309 Ft 98.2K

-27.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$6,805 Ft 2.2M

-37.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$90.6 Ft 28.8K

-48.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$32.35 Ft 10.3K

36.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$83.9 Ft 26.7K

-4.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$109 Ft 34.7K

-15.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$528 Ft 168.1K

101.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$408 Ft 129.7K

-4.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$866 Ft 275.5K

148.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$784 Ft 249.3K

62.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$3,145 Ft 1.0M

27.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$2,657 Ft 845.4K

144.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$1,438 Ft 457.4K

-47.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.67

71.66%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Vac: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $528 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 90% higher in Vac, 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $115 in Vac. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $238 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 – Vac is pricier by about 5%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,993 in Vac. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,329 in Vac. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 5% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Vac at $1,329. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vac it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Vac makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.