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 $1,325 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,978 in Victoria, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,355 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,142 in Victoria, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,384 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,305 in Victoria, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 33% cheaper than Victoria, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Playa del Carmen sits 2% below the global median, while Victoria is 46% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.87 MX$219

$17.72 SCR 255

-27.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.29 MX$805

$50.6 SCR 729

-6.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.79 MX$218

$12.12 SCR 175

5.53%

Cappuccino

$3.96 MX$67.4

$4.02 SCR 57.9

-1.49%

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

$1.43 MX$24.31

$2.29 SCR 32.95

-37.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.06

$2.65 SCR 38.15

-68.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.6

$3.87 SCR 55.9

-21.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 MX$118

$3.67 SCR 53.0

89.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 MX$28.80

$1.93 SCR 27.77

-12.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 MX$36.26

$1.71 SCR 24.59

24.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MX$28.73

$2.55 SCR 36.78

-33.73%

Eggs

$2.76 MX$46.95

$3.83 SCR 55.2

-27.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.19 MX$156

$31.24 SCR 450

-70.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.03 MX$154

$6.18 SCR 89.1

46.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.39 MX$211

$12.08 SCR 174

2.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 MX$52.6

$2.20 SCR 31.72

40.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.31

$2.71 SCR 39.02

-42.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 MX$36.49

$2.35 SCR 33.93

-8.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.50

$6.05 SCR 87.2

-63.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.91

$1.88 SCR 27.04

9.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 MX$34.58

$1.85 SCR 26.66

9.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 MX$20.79

$1.48 SCR 21.33

-17.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 MX$19.36

$1.29 SCR 18.59

-11.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.62 MX$78.6

$22.85 SCR 329

-79.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.60 MX$180

$10.21 SCR 147

3.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 MX$27.90

$4.28 SCR 61.7

-61.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 MX$49.98

$5.44 SCR 78.4

-45.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 MX$10.30

$0.68 SCR 9.84

-10.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.50 MX$502

$33.08 SCR 477

-10.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.31 MX$90.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$63.4

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.79 MX$98.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$1.54 SCR 22.20

2.60%

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

$22.4K MX$381.7K

$26.2K SCR 377.3K

-14.31%

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

$25.4K MX$432.3K

$32.3K SCR 465.2K

-21.29%

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

$90.7 MX$1,543

$136 SCR 1,958

-33.26%

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

$23.03 MX$392

$42.10 SCR 607

-45.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.71 MX$540

$135 SCR 1,949

-76.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.1 MX$1,142

$77.3 SCR 1,114

-13.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.14 MX$496

$7.80 SCR 112

273.59%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$86.0

$7.20 SCR 104

-29.86%

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

$222 MX$3,770

$139 SCR 2,009

58.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,223 MX$71.9K

$8,559 SCR 123.4K

-50.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 MX$775

$37.17 SCR 536

22.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.06 MX$750

$24.28 SCR 350

81.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 MX$1,639

$88.4 SCR 1,274

8.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.3 MX$1,587

$101 SCR 1,458

-7.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,074 MX$18.3K

$928 SCR 13.4K

15.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 MX$6,845

$808 SCR 11.7K

-50.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,908 MX$32.5K

$2,212 SCR 31.9K

-13.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,259 MX$21.4K

$1,744 SCR 25.1K

-27.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,093 MX$69.7K

$432 SCR 6,221

848.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,594 MX$112.2K

$1,107 SCR 16.0K

495.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$753 MX$12.8K

$924 SCR 13.3K

-18.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

-3.33%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 8, 2026

Last update for Victoria: August 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,074 in Playa del Carmen versus $928 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 23% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $51.0 in Victoria. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $373 – 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 49%, 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 $1,988 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,966 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 $1,325 in Playa del Carmen and $1,978 in Victoria. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 12% 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 $1,325, than in Victoria at $1,978. 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.