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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $431 in Vijayawada, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $703 in Vijayawada, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $975 in Vijayawada, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 199% more than Vijayawada, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Vijayawada are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Vijayawada 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$1.72 ₹163

594.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$11.50 ₹1,092

271.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$4.71 ₹447

124.84%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.77 ₹357

-3.98%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.45 ₹43.17

226.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.20 ₹19.20

370.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.32 ₹220

33.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.57 ₹244

73.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.87 ₹82.5

64.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.51 ₹48.74

268.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$0.68 ₹64.6

139.71%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$0.89 ₹84.3

196.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$6.53 ₹620

25.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.01 ₹285

175.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.21 ₹209

19.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$0.87 ₹82.3

72.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$0.93 ₹88.5

113.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.49 ₹46.30

324.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.40 ₹38.13

347.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.39 ₹36.58

458.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.67 ₹63.8

61.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.34 ₹31.92

205.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$4.06 ₹385

-2.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$6.18 ₹587

65.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.51 ₹238

-31.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.21 ₹305

-22.12%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$4.32 ₹410

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.28 ₹26.26

85.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$7.38 ₹700

265.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.69 ₹161

85.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.53 ₹50.6

352.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$2.27 ₹216

36.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.22 ₹116

4.10%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$17.6K ₹1.7M

75.29%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$22.6K ₹2.1M

3.12%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$27.82 ₹2,641

194.79%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$3.63 ₹344

518.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$8.22 ₹780

260.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$20.10 ₹1,908

158.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$11.95 ₹1,134

56.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$3.54 ₹336

40.40%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$75.9 ₹7,206

160.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$1,787 ₹169.6K

195.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$24.28 ₹2,305

49.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$25.59 ₹2,429

56.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$41.76 ₹3,965

91.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$42.97 ₹4,080

106.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$139 ₹13.2K

593.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$87.6 ₹8,321

430.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$320 ₹30.3K

399.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$216 ₹20.5K

460.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$707 ₹67.1K

457.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$389 ₹36.9K

1556.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$300 ₹28.5K

140.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.8

5.74%

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 Vijayawada: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $139 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 140% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $12.00 in Vijayawada. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $117 – making Vijayawada 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 Vijayawada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 199%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $646 in Vijayawada. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $431 in Vijayawada. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 265% less in Vijayawada. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Vijayawada, where all-in costs run around $431, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Vijayawada it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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 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.