Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Villa Alemana Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Villa Alemana

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,259 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $973 in Villa Alemana, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,177 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,511 in Villa Alemana, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,095 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,048 in Villa Alemana, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 29% more than Villa Alemana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Villa Alemana are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Villa Alemana 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 MX$208

$6.32 CLP 5,926

89.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 MX$730

$53.2 CLP 49.9K

-21.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 MX$181

$8.62 CLP 8,077

20.88%

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.2

$1.43 CLP 1,344

145.45%

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

$1.52 MX$26.39

$0.96 CLP 903

58.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.84

$1.24 CLP 1,166

-26.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$52.9

$3.14 CLP 2,942

-3.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.1

$2.12 CLP 1,984

106.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.73

$1.23 CLP 1,151

15.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.87

$1.51 CLP 1,412

21.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.45

$2.19 CLP 2,050

-25.57%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.20

$4.08 CLP 3,820

-37.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MX$149

$10.40 CLP 9,744

-17.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$148

$4.91 CLP 4,605

72.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 MX$188

$10.87 CLP 10.2K

-0.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$47.94

$2.12 CLP 1,986

29.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.00

$1.63 CLP 1,529

-11.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.83

$2.05 CLP 1,919

-7.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.77

$1.57 CLP 1,470

38.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.97

$1.87 CLP 1,751

-4.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.71

$1.67 CLP 1,565

32.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.60

$1.34 CLP 1,251

-20.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.79

$1.19 CLP 1,119

-9.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.2

$5.72 CLP 5,363

-27.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$182

$6.29 CLP 5,894

66.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.34

$1.61 CLP 1,506

8.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.92

$2.49 CLP 2,333

3.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.94

$0.59 CLP 550

-13.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$451

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 MX$55.9

$0.51 CLP 477

529.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.55

$1.43 CLP 1,337

74.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.4

$11.46 CLP 10.7K

-72.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.87

$1.43 CLP 1,339

-11.89%

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

$29.7K MX$516.6K

$19.4K CLP 18.2M

52.76%

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

$23.7K MX$412.1K

$22.3K CLP 20.9M

6.06%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$63.6 CLP 59.6K

28.96%

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

$22.73 MX$395

$13.41 CLP 12.6K

69.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 MX$512

$21.63 CLP 20.3K

36.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$908

$36.71 CLP 34.4K

42.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$321

$21.01 CLP 19.7K

-12.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$85.9

$6.51 CLP 6,100

-24.27%

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

$202 MX$3,511

$435 CLP 407.3K

-53.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$90.8K

$8,630 CLP 8.1M

-39.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$625

$43.25 CLP 40.5K

-16.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$21.67 CLP 20.3K

86.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$59.6 CLP 55.8K

34.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,554

$32.43 CLP 30.4K

175.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.5K

$485 CLP 455.0K

95.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,097

$377 CLP 353.6K

23.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.4K

$889 CLP 833.0K

83.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.8K

$588 CLP 551.1K

102.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$111.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

$453 CLP 424.4K

45.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.18

120.46%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Last update for Villa Alemana: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $948 in Playa del Carmen versus $485 in Villa Alemana. 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 45% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $53.0 in Villa Alemana. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $231 in Villa Alemana – so Villa Alemana wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Villa Alemana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 29%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,888 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,459 in Villa Alemana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Villa Alemana, 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 $1,259 in Playa del Carmen and $973 in Villa Alemana. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Playa del Carmen and $435 in Villa Alemana. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Villa Alemana, where all-in costs run around $973, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,259. In Villa Alemana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Villa Alemana – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Villa Alemana. 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.