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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,259 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $382 in Varkala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,177 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $603 in Varkala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,095 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $823 in Varkala, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 230% more than Varkala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Varkala are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Varkala 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 MX$208

$2.40 ₹232

397.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 MX$731

$10.54 ₹1,018

297.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 MX$182

$3.62 ₹349

187.85%

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.3

$1.53 ₹148

129.41%

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

$1.52 MX$26.44

$0.41 ₹39.25

270.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.88

$0.16 ₹15.85

468.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$53.0

$1.79 ₹173

69.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.2

$3.10 ₹299

40.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.78

$0.70 ₹67.4

102.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.93

$0.45 ₹43.29

306.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.51

$0.68 ₹65.3

139.71%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.29

$0.91 ₹87.6

179.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MX$149

$5.06 ₹489

69.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$148

$2.92 ₹282

190.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 MX$188

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$48.04

$1.99 ₹192

38.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.05

$0.74 ₹71.1

94.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.90

$1.01 ₹97.7

87.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.84

$0.54 ₹51.8

301.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.03

$0.38 ₹36.80

368.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.79

$0.43 ₹41.33

416.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.64

$0.48 ₹46.38

122.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.83

$0.32 ₹30.48

237.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.3

$3.94 ₹380

5.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$182

$7.40 ₹714

41.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.40

$1.76 ₹170

-1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$45.01

$2.92 ₹282

-11.64%

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

$5.55 ₹536

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.95

$0.30 ₹28.97

70.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$452

$8.69 ₹839

198.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 MX$56.0

$0.78 ₹75.1

311.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.64

$0.27 ₹26.13

825.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.6

$1.42 ₹137

124.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.91

$1.21 ₹117

4.13%

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

$29.7K MX$517.7K

$13.7K ₹1.3M

116.95%

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

$23.7K MX$413.0K

$21.7K ₹2.1M

9.27%

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

$82.0 MX$1,430

$39.35 ₹3,799

108.46%

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

$22.73 MX$396

$3.56 ₹344

538.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 MX$513

$7.12 ₹687

313.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$910

$16.16 ₹1,560

222.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$322

$6.84 ₹660

169.74%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$2.92 ₹282

68.84%

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

$202 MX$3,519

$50.6 ₹4,885

298.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$91.0K

$1,567 ₹151.3K

232.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$627

$24.37 ₹2,353

47.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$703

$24.84 ₹2,398

62.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,393

$43.10 ₹4,161

85.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,557

$30.83 ₹2,977

189.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.5K

$126 ₹12.1K

655.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,114

$77.2 ₹7,457

502.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.4K

$273 ₹26.4K

496.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.8K

$182 ₹17.6K

555.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.6K

$1,062 ₹102.6K

270.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$112.1K

$612 ₹59.0K

951.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

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 20, 2026

Last update for Varkala: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $948 in Playa del Carmen versus $126 in Varkala. 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $11.00 in Varkala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $106 – making Varkala 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 Varkala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 230%, 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 $1,888 per month in Playa del Carmen and $573 in Varkala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Varkala, 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 $1,259 in Playa del Carmen and $382 in Varkala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 199% less in Varkala. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Varkala, where all-in costs run around $382, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,259. In Varkala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Varkala – 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 Varkala. 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.