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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,965 in Victoria, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,172 in Victoria, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,378 in Victoria, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 35% cheaper than Victoria, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Victoria is 46% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$15.84 SCR 229

-25.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$44.95 SCR 649

-4.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$9.44 SCR 136

12.82%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$4.86 SCR 70.2

-29.01%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.76 SCR 39.88

-45.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$2.65 SCR 38.21

-64.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$3.89 SCR 56.1

-22.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$4.56 SCR 65.9

1.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.85 SCR 26.71

-25.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.71 SCR 24.67

8.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$2.86 SCR 41.26

-43.71%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$3.52 SCR 50.8

-26.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$34.01 SCR 491

-75.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.06 SCR 87.6

38.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$11.98 SCR 173

-11.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.27 SCR 32.77

15.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.54 SCR 36.73

-41.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.17 SCR 31.36

-11.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$6.00 SCR 86.6

-65.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.97 SCR 28.51

-5.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.51 SCR 21.83

49.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.38 SCR 19.94

-23.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.50 SCR 21.68

-27.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$21.77 SCR 314

-80.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$10.55 SCR 152

-1.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$4.35 SCR 62.8

-60.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$6.64 SCR 96.0

-60.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.81 SCR 11.71

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$25.11 SCR 363

7.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$6.96 SCR 101

-55.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$2.12 SCR 30.57

18.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$20.82 SCR 301

-84.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.45 SCR 21.01

-12.41%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$26.0K SCR 375.2K

16.91%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$34.1K SCR 492.1K

-30.84%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$135 SCR 1,956

-38.73%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$40.87 SCR 590

-44.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$150 SCR 2,160

-80.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$91.7 SCR 1,324

-44.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$15.31 SCR 221

19.73%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$5.20 SCR 75.1

-5.19%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$158 SCR 2,275

25.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$8,479 SCR 122.5K

-37.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$66.3 SCR 958

-44.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$27.59 SCR 398

44.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$70.3 SCR 1,015

13.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$71.1 SCR 1,027

25.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$933 SCR 13.5K

2.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$732 SCR 10.6K

-34.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$1,986 SCR 28.7K

-17.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$1,809 SCR 26.1K

-32.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$481 SCR 6,942

715.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,276 SCR 18.4K

406.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$975 SCR 14.1K

-31.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

16.5

-30.79%

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 Victoria: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $933 in Victoria. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 46% higher in Victoria, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $45.00 in Victoria. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $383 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Victoria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Victoria is pricier by about 55%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. 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 $2,948 in Victoria. 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,965 in Victoria. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 7% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Victoria at $1,965. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Victoria 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, Victoria makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.