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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $439 in Vijayawada, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $715 in Vijayawada, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $991 in Vijayawada, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 189% more than Vijayawada, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Vijayawada are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Vijayawada 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$1.77 ₹168

570.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$11.40 ₹1,084

276.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$4.70 ₹447

126.60%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.87 ₹368

-10.85%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.49 ₹46.39

206.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.18 ₹17.52

427.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$2.31 ₹220

31.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.54 ₹241

81.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.86 ₹81.4

60.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.56 ₹53.4

230.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.74 ₹70.2

117.57%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$0.85 ₹80.7

204.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$6.47 ₹615

27.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$3.12 ₹297

168.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.18 ₹207

20.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$0.80 ₹76.1

86.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$0.95 ₹90.3

102.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.45 ₹42.77

364.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.41 ₹38.58

353.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.39 ₹36.88

479.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.73 ₹69.6

45.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.37 ₹34.92

194.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$3.97 ₹378

4.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$6.08 ₹578

70.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.56 ₹244

-32.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$3.18 ₹303

-17.92%

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

$4.24 ₹403

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.28 ₹26.45

92.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$7.22 ₹687

273.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.70 ₹161

84.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.52 ₹49.58

382.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$2.37 ₹226

32.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.28 ₹122

-0.78%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$17.7K ₹1.7M

71.42%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$23.1K ₹2.2M

2.23%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$27.62 ₹2,627

200.51%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$3.62 ₹344

527.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$8.12 ₹772

262.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$20.06 ₹1,908

154.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$11.87 ₹1,129

54.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$3.41 ₹324

44.57%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$75.9 ₹7,213

160.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$1,807 ₹171.9K

192.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$24.37 ₹2,317

51.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$26.20 ₹2,492

52.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$41.19 ₹3,918

94.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$42.90 ₹4,080

108.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$138 ₹13.1K

594.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$85.8 ₹8,155

456.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$319 ₹30.3K

416.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$218 ₹20.7K

462.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$680 ₹64.7K

475.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$387 ₹36.8K

1568.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$302 ₹28.7K

120.80%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Vijayawada: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $138 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 121% 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 $11.00 in Vijayawada. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $118 – 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 189%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $659 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $439 in Vijayawada. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 273% 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 $439, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.