Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Vazquez de Coronado Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Vazquez de Coronado

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,499 in Vazquez de Coronado, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,176 in Vazquez de Coronado, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,852 in Vazquez de Coronado, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 14% cheaper than Vazquez de Coronado, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Vazquez de Coronado is 12% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$8.07 ₡3,668

47.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$30.43 ₡13.8K

40.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$10.05 ₡4,569

5.37%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.89 ₡1,316

25.26%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.97 ₡897

-25.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.63 ₡742

-42.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.94 ₡1,338

5.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.91 ₡1,322

53.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.07 ₡941

-30.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.97 ₡441

93.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$2.02 ₡918

-19.31%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.74 ₡1,245

-3.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$9.71 ₡4,415

-15.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$9.13 ₡4,152

-9.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$13.53 ₡6,151

-17.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.88 ₡1,764

-31.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.47 ₡667

2.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$4.28 ₡1,948

-53.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$2.05 ₡931

1.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$2.01 ₡914

-10.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$3.11 ₡1,415

-29.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.48 ₡216

125.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$2.95 ₡1,342

-64.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$5.30 ₡2,411

-25.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$21.56 ₡9,804

-52.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.43 ₡1,105

-28.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.85 ₡1,296

-12.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$1.04 ₡472

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.35 ₡612

132.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.21 ₡550

98.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$8.07 ₡3,672

-61.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.41 ₡643

-9.93%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$38.1K ₡17.3M

-19.00%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$32.7K ₡14.9M

-28.80%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$68.4 ₡31.1K

19.88%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$26.09 ₡11.9K

-13.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$59.9 ₡27.2K

-50.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$57.0 ₡25.9K

-8.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$23.63 ₡10.7K

-20.99%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$4.00 ₡1,820

24.25%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$565 ₡257.0K

-65.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$12.6K ₡5.7M

-58.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$61.8 ₡28.1K

-41.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$51.3 ₡23.3K

-21.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$128 ₡58.1K

-37.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$105 ₡47.9K

-15.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$756 ₡344.0K

27.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$595 ₡270.7K

-21.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$1,527 ₡694.6K

4.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$959 ₡436.1K

26.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.17

12.29%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Vazquez de Coronado: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $756 in Vazquez de Coronado. 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 $30.00 in Vazquez de Coronado. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $331 in Vazquez de Coronado – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Vazquez de Coronado: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Vazquez de Coronado is pricier by about 17%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,249 in Vazquez de Coronado. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,499 in Vazquez de Coronado. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $565 in Vazquez de Coronado. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Vazquez de Coronado at $1,499. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vazquez de Coronado it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Vazquez de Coronado makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.