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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $378 in Varkala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $606 in Varkala, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $834 in Varkala, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 237% 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

$11.87 MX$207

$2.31 ₹220

413.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$749

$10.58 ₹1,009

305.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$186

$3.46 ₹330

207.80%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$60.2

$1.57 ₹150

119.75%

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

$1.50 MX$26.24

$0.41 ₹38.81

265.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.56

$0.16 ₹15.07

493.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.8

$1.69 ₹161

79.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$80.4

$3.02 ₹288

52.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.01

$0.66 ₹62.7

109.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.45 ₹42.80

311.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.11

$0.66 ₹62.9

143.94%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.26

$0.90 ₹85.7

187.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$144

$4.86 ₹463

69.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$146

$3.03 ₹289

176.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$186

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.89

$1.97 ₹188

33.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.96

$0.69 ₹65.9

115.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.50

$0.95 ₹90.2

102.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.41

$0.53 ₹50.9

294.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.42

$0.38 ₹36.69

389.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.47

$0.46 ₹43.99

391.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.54

$0.49 ₹47.03

116.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.98

$0.35 ₹32.99

211.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.4

$3.94 ₹375

5.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$181

$7.38 ₹704

40.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$30.09

$1.79 ₹170

-3.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.60

$2.78 ₹265

-6.12%

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

$5.58 ₹532

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

$0.30 ₹28.94

80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$470

$8.83 ₹842

205.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.6

$0.84 ₹80.1

272.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.82

$0.25 ₹23.79

904.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$55.0

$1.43 ₹136

120.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.25

$1.22 ₹116

4.10%

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

$30.4K MX$530.1K

$13.9K ₹1.3M

118.17%

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

$23.6K MX$411.3K

$21.9K ₹2.1M

7.79%

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

$83.0 MX$1,449

$38.78 ₹3,697

114.03%

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

$22.71 MX$396

$3.55 ₹338

539.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$514

$7.46 ₹711

294.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$890

$16.09 ₹1,534

216.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

$6.98 ₹666

162.61%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$2.97 ₹283

65.99%

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

$197 MX$3,444

$52.3 ₹4,989

277.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.1K

$1,561 ₹148.8K

238.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$644

$24.20 ₹2,307

52.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$696

$25.54 ₹2,435

56.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,396

$42.00 ₹4,004

90.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,561

$29.96 ₹2,856

198.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

$122 ₹11.7K

682.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,327

$77.7 ₹7,408

514.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

$274 ₹26.1K

500.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

$181 ₹17.3K

575.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

$1,043 ₹99.4K

275.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.7K

$604 ₹57.6K

969.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Varkala: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $11.00 in Varkala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 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 237%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $566 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $378 in Varkala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 205% 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 $378, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.