Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Vijayawada

For one person, living is cheaper in Vijayawada: $393 a month against $1,215 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,215
/mo nomad
Vijayawada
🇮🇳 India
$393
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Vijayawada

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Vijayawada actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,215 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $393 in Vijayawada, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,215
  • Vijayawada $393

A couple spends around $2,144 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $640 in Vijayawada, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,144
  • Vijayawada $640

A family of three spends $3,072 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $886 in Vijayawada, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $3,072
  • Vijayawada $886

Playa del Carmen costs about 209% more than Vijayawada, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Playa del Carmen and Vijayawada are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 9% lower, Vijayawada 71% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Vijayawada
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.97 MX$201
$1.53 ₹148
616.99%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.85 MX$823
$8.63 ₹835
419.70%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.92 MX$219
$4.40 ₹426
170.91%
Cappuccino
$3.80 MX$69.9
$3.67 ₹355
3.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 MX$24.08
$0.38 ₹36.44
244.74%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.86 MX$15.72
$0.12 ₹11.67
616.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.21 MX$59.0
$1.82 ₹177
76.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.01 MX$92.0
$2.24 ₹217
123.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Vijayawada
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.46 MX$26.77
$0.80 ₹77.9
82.50%
White Bread (500g)
$2.33 MX$42.72
$0.49 ₹47.27
375.51%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.44 MX$26.48
$0.61 ₹59.4
136.07%
Eggs
$2.46 MX$45.20
$0.80 ₹77.9
207.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.70 MX$141
$6.50 ₹629
18.46%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.89 MX$145
$2.44 ₹236
223.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.80 MX$235
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.92 MX$53.6
$1.78 ₹172
64.04%
Banana (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.11
$0.72 ₹70.1
97.22%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.57 MX$47.10
$0.75 ₹72.5
242.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.14 MX$39.24
$0.43 ₹41.74
397.67%
Potato (1kg)
$1.95 MX$35.75
$0.40 ₹39.09
387.50%
Onion (1kg)
$1.94 MX$35.55
$0.45 ₹43.18
331.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.13
$0.60 ₹58.4
91.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.22 MX$22.42
$0.30 ₹29.31
306.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.38 MX$80.3
$5.02 ₹486
-12.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.85 MX$181
$7.11 ₹688
38.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54 MX$28.23
$1.89 ₹183
-18.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72 MX$49.86
$3.11 ₹301
-12.54%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$3.26 ₹315
-
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Vijayawada
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.52 MX$9.64
$0.29 ₹28.02
79.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.42 MX$503
$6.82 ₹660
302.05%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.91 MX$90.2
$1.53 ₹148
220.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.52 MX$64.7
$0.45 ₹43.86
682.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.69 MX$104
$2.09 ₹202
172.25%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 MX$28.27
$1.11 ₹108
38.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$389.9K
$15.5K ₹1.5M
37.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5K MX$449.6K
$20.8K ₹2.0M
18.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Vijayawada
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.6 MX$1,535
$31.73 ₹3,070
163.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.03 MX$441
$3.11 ₹301
672.67%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.33 MX$539
$7.74 ₹749
278.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Vijayawada
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.9 MX$1,191
$15.83 ₹1,532
309.79%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.46 MX$541
$10.85 ₹1,050
171.52%
Cinema Ticket
$5.09 MX$93.4
$3.06 ₹297
66.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Vijayawada
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$208 MX$3,813
$66.1 ₹6,397
214.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,045 MX$74.3K
$1,931 ₹186.9K
109.47%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Vijayawada
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.55 MX$818
$17.87 ₹1,730
149.30%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.06 MX$772
$18.34 ₹1,775
129.33%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.5 MX$1,387
$38.00 ₹3,677
98.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.4 MX$1,678
$35.01 ₹3,388
160.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Vijayawada
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$986 MX$18.1K
$127 ₹12.3K
677.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$385 MX$7,072
$78.1 ₹7,555
393.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,713 MX$31.5K
$288 ₹27.8K
495.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,108 MX$20.4K
$204 ₹19.8K
442.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,016 MX$73.7K
$672 ₹65.0K
497.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,247 MX$114.7K
$391 ₹37.9K
1497.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Vijayawada
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$758 MX$13.9K
$301 ₹29.1K
151.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
10.2
12.25%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026

Last update for Vijayawada: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$385
Vijayawada
$78 79.7% $307
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$260
Vijayawada
$107 59% $154
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$204
Vijayawada
$85 58.3% $119
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Vijayawada
$43 68.9% $94
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$114
Vijayawada
$49 56.9% $65
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$75
Vijayawada
$22 70.7% $53
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$52
Vijayawada
$12 77.4% $40

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Playa del Carmen versus $127 in Vijayawada. 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 152% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $45.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $9.00 in Vijayawada. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $107 – making Vijayawada the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇮🇳 Vijayawada
🕒 Local time
09:22 9:22 AM
19:52 7:52 PM
10 h 30 min ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
1,048,240
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.57 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 96.78 INR (100 INR = 1.03 USD). 1 EUR = 108 INR (1,000 INR = 9.22 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Vijayawada 15,670 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Vijayawada

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Vijayawada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Vijayawada cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 209%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,823 per month in Playa del Carmen and $590 in Vijayawada. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Vijayawada, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Vijayawada?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,215 in Playa del Carmen and $393 in Vijayawada. That's a gap of about 209%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 302% less in Vijayawada. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Vijayawada?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Vijayawada, where all-in costs run around $393, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,215. In Vijayawada it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Vijayawada more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Vijayawada – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Vijayawada?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Vijayawada. 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.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?