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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $724 in Vacoas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,107 in Vacoas, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,490 in Vacoas, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 73% more than Vacoas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Vacoas are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Vacoas 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$6.58 MUR 309

82.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$32.98 MUR 1,549

26.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$4.98 MUR 234

115.86%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.58 MUR 121

35.66%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.97 MUR 45.61

49.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.60 MUR 28.01

46.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.26 MUR 106

30.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$1.99 MUR 93.5

126.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.34 MUR 62.8

6.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.66 MUR 30.79

178.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.26 MUR 59.3

24.60%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.10 MUR 98.6

19.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$2.83 MUR 133

192.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$2.92 MUR 137

188.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$5.44 MUR 255

96.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.99 MUR 93.5

31.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.01 MUR 94.4

-28.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.45 MUR 68.2

35.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.72 MUR 128

-23.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.98 MUR 46.23

88.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.01 MUR 47.21

114.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.80 MUR 37.62

28.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.75 MUR 35.28

42.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$5.80 MUR 272

-29.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$6.48 MUR 304

56.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.46 MUR 68.7

15.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.22 MUR 104

13.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.94 MUR 44.34

-45.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$4.30 MUR 202

-24.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$2.66 MUR 125

-9.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$4.53 MUR 213

-28.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.40 MUR 65.8

-5.71%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$26.9K MUR 1.3M

10.41%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$28.3K MUR 1.3M

-16.27%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$49.42 MUR 2,321

65.94%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$11.04 MUR 519

107.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$25.44 MUR 1,195

18.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$26.11 MUR 1,226

99.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$5.46 MUR 256

-8.79%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$157 MUR 7,377

25.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$4,037 MUR 189.6K

32.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$29.83 MUR 1,401

19.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$28.57 MUR 1,342

41.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$66.6 MUR 3,130

18.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$59.5 MUR 2,793

49.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$262 MUR 12.3K

261.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$235 MUR 11.0K

101.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$520 MUR 24.4K

216.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$326 MUR 15.3K

271.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$697 MUR 32.7K

-6.19%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Vacoas: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $262 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 7% 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 73%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,086 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $724 in Vacoas. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $157 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 $724, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.