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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $386 in Varkala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $615 in Varkala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $844 in Varkala, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 238% more than Varkala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Varkala are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Varkala 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$2.35 ₹225

408.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$10.43 ₹996

354.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$3.59 ₹343

227.30%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$1.57 ₹150

162.42%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.40 ₹38.48

250.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.16 ₹14.94

468.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.71 ₹164

87.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.07 ₹293

130.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$0.65 ₹62.0

158.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.48 ₹46.27

347.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$0.70 ₹67.1

152.86%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$0.93 ₹89.3

203.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$4.88 ₹466

88.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$2.92 ₹279

216.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.98 ₹189

48.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$0.69 ₹66.0

128.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$0.96 ₹91.6

131.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$0.53 ₹51.1

345.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.38 ₹36.66

423.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.45 ₹43.36

340.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.48 ₹45.99

158.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.31 ₹29.95

290.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$3.88 ₹370

18.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$7.22 ₹690

45.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.79 ₹171

-5.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.90 ₹277

-4.48%

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

$5.47 ₹523

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.30 ₹28.81

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$8.65 ₹827

243.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.78 ₹74.3

571.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.25 ₹23.81

1360.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$1.47 ₹140

293.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.18 ₹112

30.51%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$14.0K ₹1.3M

62.53%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$21.8K ₹2.1M

18.62%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$39.46 ₹3,770

129.78%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$3.38 ₹323

645.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$7.30 ₹698

334.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$16.07 ₹1,535

328.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$7.17 ₹685

309.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$2.93 ₹280

65.87%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$52.0 ₹4,963

334.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$1,557 ₹148.7K

169.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$24.07 ₹2,299

96.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$24.95 ₹2,384

74.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$42.27 ₹4,038

89.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$30.11 ₹2,876

203.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$122 ₹11.7K

788.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$75.2 ₹7,185

443.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$276 ₹26.4K

613.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$182 ₹17.4K

604.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$1,052 ₹100.5K

284.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$603 ₹57.6K

1012.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

8.67

32.06%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Varkala: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $122 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $10.00 in Varkala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $105 – 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 238%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $578 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $386 in Varkala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 243% 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 $386, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.