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 $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $400 in Vijayawada, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $633 in Vijayawada, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $866 in Vijayawada, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 232% more than Vijayawada, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Vijayawada are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Vijayawada 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$1.59 ₹152

718.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$8.93 ₹854

417.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$4.45 ₹426

182.92%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$3.77 ₹360

6.10%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$0.38 ₹36.10

273.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$0.16 ₹14.91

406.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$1.84 ₹176

65.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$2.22 ₹213

207.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$0.75 ₹72.1

128.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$0.52 ₹50.1

326.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$0.64 ₹61.6

168.75%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$0.80 ₹76.4

238.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$6.46 ₹618

45.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$2.48 ₹237

257.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$1.87 ₹179

67.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$0.72 ₹68.5

115.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$0.75 ₹71.7

186.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$0.46 ₹44.46

410.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$0.37 ₹35.71

445.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$0.42 ₹40.01

373.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$0.66 ₹63.0

87.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$0.30 ₹29.03

296.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$4.93 ₹472

-5.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$7.45 ₹713

40.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$1.88 ₹180

-15.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$3.14 ₹301

-7.01%

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

$3.30 ₹315

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$0.29 ₹27.47

93.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

$6.61 ₹633

350.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$1.60 ₹153

232.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$0.43 ₹40.74

765.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$2.14 ₹205

170.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$1.06 ₹102

46.23%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$15.6K ₹1.5M

43.19%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$20.8K ₹2.0M

23.14%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$32.39 ₹3,099

175.64%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$3.29 ₹315

608.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$8.06 ₹771

293.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$15.85 ₹1,517

333.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

$10.91 ₹1,044

169.48%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$3.06 ₹293

65.36%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$68.8 ₹6,584

222.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$1,983 ₹189.8K

116.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$17.94 ₹1,717

157.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$18.57 ₹1,777

139.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$38.20 ₹3,656

149.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$35.70 ₹3,416

159.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$126 ₹12.0K

750.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$78.6 ₹7,523

400.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

$289 ₹27.7K

587.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$202 ₹19.4K

544.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

$684 ₹65.5K

490.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

$407 ₹38.9K

1529.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$306 ₹29.3K

143.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

10.2

13.73%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Vijayawada: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $126 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 144% 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 $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $9.00 in Vijayawada. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $108 – 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 232%, 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 $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $600 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 $1,330 in Playa del Carmen and $400 in Vijayawada. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 350% 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 $400, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. 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.