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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,978 in Victoria, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,130 in Victoria, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,283 in Victoria, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Victoria is 48% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$15.73 SCR 231

-24.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$44.24 SCR 649

-3.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$8.94 SCR 131

18.46%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$4.98 SCR 73.0

-27.31%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$2.66 SCR 39.00

-44.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$2.73 SCR 40.03

-65.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$3.92 SCR 57.4

-21.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$4.61 SCR 67.7

-3.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.79 SCR 26.25

-20.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$1.79 SCR 26.25

5.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$2.75 SCR 40.29

-40.73%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$3.65 SCR 53.6

-27.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$33.94 SCR 498

-75.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$5.99 SCR 87.9

38.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$11.64 SCR 171

-4.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$2.30 SCR 33.73

15.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$2.67 SCR 39.11

-43.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$2.13 SCR 31.26

-6.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$6.26 SCR 91.9

-66.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$2.06 SCR 30.17

-13.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$1.48 SCR 21.67

47.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$1.31 SCR 19.29

-17.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$1.49 SCR 21.83

-30.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$21.64 SCR 317

-81.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$10.07 SCR 148

1.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$4.43 SCR 65.0

-60.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$6.71 SCR 98.5

-62.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.84 SCR 12.33

-38.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

$24.64 SCR 362

9.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$6.86 SCR 101

-54.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$2.13 SCR 31.24

12.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$20.97 SCR 308

-85.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.40 SCR 20.54

-9.29%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$26.3K SCR 385.4K

17.56%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$34.8K SCR 509.8K

-32.91%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$135 SCR 1,974

-39.05%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$40.70 SCR 597

-44.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$155 SCR 2,276

-80.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$92.2 SCR 1,353

-43.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$15.39 SCR 226

21.31%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$5.07 SCR 74.4

-1.97%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$154 SCR 2,263

28.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$8,288 SCR 121.6K

-36.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$66.0 SCR 968

-44.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$27.17 SCR 399

47.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$70.5 SCR 1,034

13.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$72.7 SCR 1,067

22.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$936 SCR 13.7K

2.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$738 SCR 10.8K

-37.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$2,010 SCR 29.5K

-20.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$1,789 SCR 26.2K

-32.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

$465 SCR 6,820

747.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

$1,208 SCR 17.7K

433.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

$904 SCR 13.3K

-20.30%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Victoria: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $936 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 25% 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 $44.00 in Victoria. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 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 54%, 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 $1,930 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 $1,287 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 9% 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 $1,287, 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.