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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,622 in Varadero, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,010 in Varadero, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,399 in Varadero, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 23% cheaper than Varadero, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Varadero is 21% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$5.86 CUP 141

104.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$48.14 CUP 1,155

-13.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$8.81 CUP 211

22.02%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$0.98 CUP 23.41

257.14%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$1.99 CUP 47.68

-27.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.99 CUP 23.73

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$3.68 CUP 88.3

-19.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$2.54 CUP 61.0

77.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$2.99 CUP 71.7

-52.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$1.24 CUP 29.83

48.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.50 CUP 36.03

4.67%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$2.41 CUP 57.8

4.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$6.17 CUP 148

34.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$5.10 CUP 122

65.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$11.93 CUP 286

-10.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$4.98 CUP 120

-47.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$0.57 CUP 13.79

152.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$0.98 CUP 23.46

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$1.14 CUP 27.28

83.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.92 CUP 22.05

101.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$5.48 CUP 132

-60.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.38 CUP 9.19

171.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.57 CUP 13.75

87.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$3.61 CUP 86.5

13.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$5.66 CUP 136

79.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$0.87 CUP 20.92

93.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$0.77 CUP 18.60

228.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$19.93 CUP 478

30.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$2.06 CUP 49.39

56.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.97 CUP 23.39

148.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$20.18 CUP 484

-83.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.33 CUP 31.95

-0.75%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$68.7K CUP 1.6M

-56.78%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$78.4K CUP 1.9M

-69.83%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$39.57 CUP 950

107.25%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$39.46 CUP 947

-41.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$219 CUP 5,245

-86.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$39.75 CUP 954

30.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$15.08 CUP 362

22.88%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$0.99 CUP 23.68

403.03%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$90.8 CUP 2,178

117.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$15.1K CUP 361.5K

-64.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$39.74 CUP 954

-10.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$30.60 CUP 734

31.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$74.0 CUP 1,776

6.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$86.2 CUP 2,069

3.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$407 CUP 9,766

132.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$796 CUP 19.1K

-40.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$1,200 CUP 28.8K

36.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$640 CUP 15.3K

89.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$389 CUP 9,342

942.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$355 CUP 8,529

1720.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$19.38 CUP 465

3274.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-23.87%

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 Varadero: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $407 in Varadero. 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 3274% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $48.00 in Varadero. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $215 in Varadero – so Varadero 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 Varadero: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Varadero is pricier by about 29%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. 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 $2,433 in Varadero. 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,622 in Varadero. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 31% 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 $1,256, than in Varadero at $1,622. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Varadero 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.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Varadero makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.