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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $422 in Vapi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $640 in Vapi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $859 in Vapi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 199% more than Vapi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Vapi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Vapi 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$4.08 ₹389

187.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$15.09 ₹1,439

177.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$2.85 ₹272

268.77%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.57 ₹245

39.69%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.26 ₹24.48

480.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.13 ₹12.53

607.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.50 ₹143

97.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$1.72 ₹164

156.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$0.73 ₹69.6

91.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.44 ₹41.50

327.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.78 ₹74.2

100.00%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.02 ₹97.2

155.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$4.56 ₹435

82.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$3.11 ₹296

168.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.27 ₹216

19.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$0.82 ₹77.9

84.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.31 ₹125

42.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.54 ₹51.6

305.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.33 ₹31.87

463.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.44 ₹42.26

406.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.65 ₹61.6

64.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.26 ₹24.73

319.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$4.04 ₹385

3.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$4.25 ₹405

145.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.07 ₹198

-19.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.43 ₹327

-23.91%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$7.09 ₹676

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.56 ₹53.0

-3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$6.93 ₹661

277.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.34 ₹32.31

805.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.28 ₹26.39

757.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$1.36 ₹130

130.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.22 ₹117

7.38%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$17.8K ₹1.7M

67.60%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$25.0K ₹2.4M

-6.58%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$49.81 ₹4,750

63.18%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$4.04 ₹385

458.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$5.70 ₹544

427.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$17.20 ₹1,640

207.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$3.59 ₹343

412.26%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$4.15 ₹395

18.55%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$23.08 ₹2,201

770.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$3,286 ₹313.3K

57.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$29.16 ₹2,781

23.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$30.74 ₹2,931

30.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$57.0 ₹5,432

39.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$39.87 ₹3,802

116.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$116 ₹11.0K

746.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$59.0 ₹5,623

697.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$272 ₹26.0K

506.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$93.3 ₹8,901

1189.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$514 ₹49.0K

668.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$278 ₹26.5K

2274.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$294 ₹28.0K

130.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

8.67

31.72%

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 Vapi: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $116 in Vapi. 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 130% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $15.00 in Vapi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $106 – making Vapi 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 Vapi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 199%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $633 in Vapi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Vapi, 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 $422 in Vapi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 277% less in Vapi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Vapi, where all-in costs run around $422, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Vapi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Vapi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Vapi. 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.