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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,262 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,886 in Varazze, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,158 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,915 in Varazze, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,054 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,944 in Varazze, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 33% cheaper than Varazze, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Varazze is 40% above โ€“ they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Varazze
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.61 MX$201
$23.28 โ‚ฌ19.81
-50.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75 MX$742
$92.9 โ‚ฌ79.1
-54.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.60 MX$184
$13.19 โ‚ฌ11.23
-19.64%
Cappuccino
$3.59 MX$62.3
$2.09 โ‚ฌ1.78
71.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45 MX$25.21
$3.29 โ‚ฌ2.80
-55.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 MX$15.58
$1.48 โ‚ฌ1.26
-39.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.03 MX$52.6
$7.02 โ‚ฌ5.97
-56.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.56 MX$79.2
$5.90 โ‚ฌ5.02
-22.71%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Varazze
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 MX$25.20
$1.81 โ‚ฌ1.54
-19.89%
White Bread (500g)
$1.83 MX$31.72
$2.79 โ‚ฌ2.37
-34.41%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 MX$27.92
$3.17 โ‚ฌ2.70
-49.21%
Eggs
$2.54 MX$44.05
$4.27 โ‚ฌ3.63
-40.52%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.54 MX$148
$19.53 โ‚ฌ16.62
-56.27%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.47 MX$147
$13.31 โ‚ฌ11.33
-36.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.86 MX$189
$23.91 โ‚ฌ20.35
-54.58%
Apples (1kg)
$2.73 MX$47.37
$2.83 โ‚ฌ2.41
-3.53%
Banana (1kg)
$1.49 MX$25.91
$2.37 โ‚ฌ2.02
-37.13%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.94 MX$33.73
$3.36 โ‚ฌ2.86
-42.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.16 MX$37.57
$4.00 โ‚ฌ3.40
-46.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 MX$32.05
$2.54 โ‚ฌ2.16
-27.17%
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 MX$38.00
$2.18 โ‚ฌ1.86
0.46%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 MX$18.62
$1.67 โ‚ฌ1.42
-35.93%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 MX$18.81
$0.68 โ‚ฌ0.58
58.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.06 MX$70.5
$7.05 โ‚ฌ6.00
-42.41%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.46 MX$182
$9.62 โ‚ฌ8.18
8.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.65 MX$28.71
$2.45 โ‚ฌ2.09
-32.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.55 MX$44.23
$3.11 โ‚ฌ2.64
-18.01%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Varazze
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.56 MX$9.65
$1.72 โ‚ฌ1.47
-67.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.20 MX$455
$43.51 โ‚ฌ37.03
-39.78%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 MX$54.5
$7.78 โ‚ฌ6.62
-59.64%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.37 MX$41.17
$2.03 โ‚ฌ1.72
16.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.24 MX$56.2
$38.70 โ‚ฌ32.93
-91.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 MX$22.81
$2.12 โ‚ฌ1.81
-38.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.5K MX$530.2K
$33.4K โ‚ฌ28.4K
-8.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.8K MX$413.6K
$35.9K โ‚ฌ30.6K
-33.66%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Varazze
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.1 MX$1,443
$219 โ‚ฌ186
-62.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.15 MX$385
$11.77 โ‚ฌ10.02
88.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.37 MX$510
$30.57 โ‚ฌ26.02
-3.93%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Varazze
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.2 MX$889
$55.6 โ‚ฌ47.27
-7.85%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.69 MX$324
$23.32 โ‚ฌ19.84
-19.85%
Cinema Ticket
$4.89 MX$84.9
$11.51 โ‚ฌ9.79
-57.52%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Varazze
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$199 MX$3,449
$885 โ‚ฌ753
-77.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,207 MX$90.4K
$16.3K โ‚ฌ13.9K
-68.12%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Varazze
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.93 MX$624
$116 โ‚ฌ98.5
-68.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.39 MX$684
$53.8 โ‚ฌ45.79
-26.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.3 MX$1,394
$115 โ‚ฌ97.7
-30.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.6 MX$1,520
$172 โ‚ฌ146
-49.01%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Varazze
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$963 MX$16.7K
$744 โ‚ฌ633
29.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$482 MX$8,370
$585 โ‚ฌ498
-17.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,645 MX$28.6K
$1,236 โ‚ฌ1,052
33.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,192 MX$20.7K
$922 โ‚ฌ785
29.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,957 MX$68.7K
$2,891 โ‚ฌ2,460
36.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,513 MX$113.1K
$2,269 โ‚ฌ1,931
187.05%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Varazze
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$726 MX$12.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
3.25
251.38%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Last update for Varazze: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $744 in Varazze. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $93 in Varazze. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $399 โ€“ making Playa del Carmen 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 Varazze: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Varazze cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes โ€“ Varazze is pricier by about 49%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,894 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,829 in Varazze. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ€“ not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs Varazze?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,262 in Playa del Carmen and $1,886 in Varazze. The difference isn't just one category โ€“ it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 66% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Varazze?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,262, than in Varazze at $1,886. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Varazze it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Varazze more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen โ€“ lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Varazze makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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