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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,259 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $577 in Villanueva, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,177 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $948 in Villanueva, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,095 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,318 in Villanueva, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 118% more than Villanueva, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Villanueva are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Villanueva 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 MX$209

$5.70 HNL 153

109.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 MX$733

$36.88 HNL 986

13.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 MX$182

$7.90 HNL 211

31.90%

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.4

$2.27 HNL 60.8

54.63%

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

$1.52 MX$26.50

$0.94 HNL 25.12

61.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.91

$1.18 HNL 31.61

-22.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$53.1

$1.12 HNL 29.92

171.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.4

$2.64 HNL 70.7

65.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.84

$1.39 HNL 37.26

2.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$32.00

$2.05 HNL 54.9

-10.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.57

$1.29 HNL 34.43

26.36%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.38

$2.03 HNL 54.2

25.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MX$150

$5.98 HNL 160

43.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$148

$3.69 HNL 98.6

130.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 MX$189

$8.00 HNL 214

35.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$48.14

$2.88 HNL 76.9

-4.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.10

$1.46 HNL 39.12

-1.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.97

$1.44 HNL 38.53

31.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.93

$1.51 HNL 40.45

43.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.10

$1.58 HNL 42.38

12.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.87

$1.42 HNL 37.97

56.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.68

$0.85 HNL 22.65

25.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.87

$1.72 HNL 46.00

-37.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.5

$2.47 HNL 66.0

68.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$183

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.47

$1.28 HNL 34.35

35.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$45.11

$1.80 HNL 48.23

43.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.97

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 MX$56.1

$4.15 HNL 111

-22.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.73

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.96

$1.02 HNL 27.34

23.53%

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

$29.7K MX$518.8K

$19.4K HNL 519.2K

52.93%

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

$23.7K MX$413.9K

$19.2K HNL 514.7K

23.09%

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

$82.0 MX$1,434

$81.8 HNL 2,188

0.28%

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

$22.73 MX$397

$9.06 HNL 242

150.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 MX$514

$41.00 HNL 1,097

-28.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$912

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$322

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.2

$5.75 HNL 154

-14.26%

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

$202 MX$3,526

$254 HNL 6,789

-20.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$91.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$628

$46.21 HNL 1,236

-22.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$705

$36.41 HNL 974

10.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,396

$108 HNL 2,879

-25.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,561

$104 HNL 2,780

-14.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,132

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-4.83%

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 Villanueva: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $37.00 in Villanueva. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $186 – making Villanueva 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 Villanueva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 118%, 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 $866 in Villanueva. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,259 in Playa del Carmen and $577 in Villanueva. 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 $254 in Villanueva. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Villanueva, where all-in costs run around $577, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,259. In Villanueva it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Villanueva – 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 Villanueva. 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.