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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,503 in Vestmanna, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,205 in Vestmanna, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,907 in Vestmanna, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 16% cheaper than Vestmanna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Vestmanna is 12% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.20 FOK 14.40

-35.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$3.93 FOK 25.66

-53.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$4.48 FOK 29.27

-43.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$18.93 FOK 124

-56.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$15.22 FOK 99.4

-44.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$28.09 FOK 183

-61.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$3.15 FOK 20.59

-17.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.32 FOK 15.12

-37.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$3.02 FOK 19.69

-35.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$3.15 FOK 20.55

-33.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.29 FOK 14.94

-19.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$3.15 FOK 20.58

-31.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$4.56 FOK 29.76

-76.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$9.90 FOK 64.7

-58.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$3.84 FOK 25.10

-34.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$10.72 FOK 70.0

-69.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.39 FOK 9.05

-5.04%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$39.9K FOK 260.7K

-25.63%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$50.3K FOK 328.5K

-52.97%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$155 FOK 1,013

-47.12%

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

$22.95 MX$400

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$62.9 FOK 411

-17.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$16.97 FOK 111

-70.65%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$274 FOK 1,789

-27.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$127 FOK 826

-71.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$126 FOK 825

-37.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$123 FOK 800

-27.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$621 FOK 4,057

52.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$625 FOK 4,079

-24.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$1,106 FOK 7,219

48.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$1,087 FOK 7,098

11.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

2.99

281.94%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Vestmanna: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $621 in Vestmanna. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

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 Vestmanna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Vestmanna is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,254 in Vestmanna. 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.

Groceries cost about 73% more in Vestmanna, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $274 in Vestmanna. 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 $1,256, than in Vestmanna at $1,503. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vestmanna 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, Vestmanna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.