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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $591 in Varginha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $985 in Varginha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,379 in Varginha, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 119% more than Varginha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Varginha are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Varginha 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$6.14 R$31.25

91.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$21.59 R$110

93.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$6.34 R$32.24

64.20%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$0.94 R$4.77

284.04%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.79 R$4.04

84.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.55 R$2.82

76.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$1.28 R$6.52

128.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$3.28 R$16.66

40.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.13 R$5.75

26.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$1.41 R$7.15

34.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$0.87 R$4.44

80.46%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$1.34 R$6.80

97.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$7.63 R$38.83

10.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$3.82 R$19.42

124.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$7.29 R$37.07

50.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$1.23 R$6.28

119.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.27 R$6.47

18.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$0.87 R$4.41

119.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$1.12 R$5.68

93.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$0.84 R$4.28

122.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$0.86 R$4.36

159.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.43 R$2.19

151.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.56 R$2.84

91.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$2.03 R$10.33

104.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$4.90 R$24.95

110.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$0.94 R$4.78

78.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$1.60 R$8.14

58.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.81 R$4.14

-32.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$39.13 R$199

-32.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$0.90 R$4.59

255.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$0.66 R$3.37

272.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$5.97 R$30.35

-46.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.01 R$5.13

30.69%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$22.0K R$111.9K

37.06%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$26.8K R$136.5K

-12.79%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$46.57 R$237

74.68%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$4.48 R$22.80

400.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$17.74 R$90.2

68.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$22.93 R$117

124.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$21.51 R$109

-14.50%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$5.35 R$27.21

-3.55%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$201 R$1,021

0.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$3,888 R$19.8K

36.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$31.87 R$162

11.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$51.3 R$261

-21.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$72.9 R$371

7.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$53.4 R$272

62.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$134 R$684

606.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$106 R$541

349.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$250 R$1,274

547.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$231 R$1,177

428.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$1,607 R$8,176

149.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$1,115 R$5,674

480.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$449 R$2,285

49.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

14.20%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Varginha: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $134 in Varginha. 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 50% 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 $22.00 in Varginha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $151 – making Varginha 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 Varginha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 119%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $887 in Varginha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Varginha, 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $591 in Varginha. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 49% less in Varginha. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Varginha, where all-in costs run around $591, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. In Varginha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Varginha – 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 Varginha. 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.