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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $737 in Vacoas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,124 in Vacoas, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,511 in Vacoas, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 76% more than Vacoas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Vacoas are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Vacoas 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$6.45 MUR 305

81.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$32.98 MUR 1,560

26.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.94 MUR 234

115.38%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$2.57 MUR 122

36.96%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.96 MUR 45.29

57.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.56 MUR 26.64

73.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.17 MUR 103

35.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$2.00 MUR 94.9

122.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.28 MUR 60.4

7.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.71 MUR 33.75

166.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.29 MUR 60.9

27.13%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.18 MUR 103

15.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$2.67 MUR 126

212.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$3.01 MUR 142

177.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$5.52 MUR 261

94.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.99 MUR 94.0

30.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.03 MUR 96.3

-28.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.44 MUR 68.0

31.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$2.74 MUR 130

-24.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.03 MUR 48.50

72.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.01 MUR 48.01

116.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.79 MUR 37.31

31.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.71 MUR 33.55

52.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$5.67 MUR 268

-28.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$6.31 MUR 299

63.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.44 MUR 68.0

18.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.18 MUR 103

18.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$1.01 MUR 47.96

-49.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$4.47 MUR 212

-27.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$2.63 MUR 124

-5.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$4.32 MUR 204

-24.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.41 MUR 66.9

-7.09%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$26.7K MUR 1.3M

13.59%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$29.2K MUR 1.4M

-19.81%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$49.62 MUR 2,348

67.01%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$10.89 MUR 515

104.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$25.99 MUR 1,230

12.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$26.80 MUR 1,268

92.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$5.49 MUR 260

-7.65%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$155 MUR 7,353

29.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$3,977 MUR 188.2K

31.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$29.28 MUR 1,386

26.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$29.55 MUR 1,399

34.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$65.7 MUR 3,108

19.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$59.8 MUR 2,830

45.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$266 MUR 12.6K

265.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$238 MUR 11.2K

96.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$506 MUR 23.9K

224.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$320 MUR 15.2K

281.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$700 MUR 33.1K

-5.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.25

168.71%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Vacoas: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $266 in Vacoas. 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 5% higher in Vacoas, 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 $33.00 in Vacoas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $156 – making Vacoas the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Vacoas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 76%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,106 in Vacoas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Vacoas, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $737 in Vacoas. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $155 in Vacoas. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Vacoas, where all-in costs run around $737, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Vacoas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Vacoas – 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 Vacoas. 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.