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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $984 in Ventspils, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,543 in Ventspils, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,103 in Ventspils, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 33% more than Ventspils, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ventspils are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Ventspils 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$13.73 €11.83

-12.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$58.5 €50.5

-19.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$8.93 €7.69

31.58%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.62 €2.26

57.25%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.68 €1.44

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$1.21 €1.04

-24.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$3.42 €2.95

-6.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.39 €2.06

195.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.18 €1.02

42.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.19 €1.03

80.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$2.59 €2.23

-31.66%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$3.29 €2.84

-14.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$10.62 €9.16

-13.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$8.89 €7.66

3.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$14.39 €12.40

-12.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$2.19 €1.89

34.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.92 €1.66

-17.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$2.44 €2.11

-9.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$3.21 €2.77

-26.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.94 €0.81

111.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.00 €0.86

98.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.86 €1.60

-33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.03 €0.89

17.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$7.13 €6.15

-35.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$8.07 €6.96

30.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$2.11 €1.81

-19.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.10 €1.81

31.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$1.14 €0.98

-47.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$17.57 €15.14

69.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$3.46 €2.98

51.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.07 €0.92

241.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$18.60 €16.03

-68.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.85 €1.60

-16.76%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$28.6K €24.6K

-20.24%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$32.5K €28.1K

-20.69%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$275 €237

-67.04%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$17.17 €14.80

46.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$17.20 €14.83

84.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$11.08 €9.55

-56.14%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$634 €546

-64.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$18.0K €15.5K

-76.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$73.2 €63.1

-35.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$51.5 €44.39

-15.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$69.4 €59.8

15.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$104 €89.6

-12.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.2

172.62%

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 Ventspils: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $59.0 in Ventspils. Groceries tell a different story – $278 in Playa del Carmen vs $271 in Ventspils – so Ventspils 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 Ventspils: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 33%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. 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 $1,476 in Ventspils. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $984 in Ventspils. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 69% less in Ventspils. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ventspils, where all-in costs run around $984, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Ventspils it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ventspils – 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 Ventspils. 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.