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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,090 in Villarrica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,651 in Villarrica, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,213 in Villarrica, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 15% more than Villarrica, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Villarrica are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Villarrica 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$8.53 CLP 7,960

40.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$45.13 CLP 42.1K

-7.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$8.11 CLP 7,567

32.55%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.74 CLP 2,562

27.74%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.35 CLP 1,260

7.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.03 CLP 959

-14.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$3.21 CLP 2,999

-8.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$4.09 CLP 3,818

10.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.19 CLP 1,107

20.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.52 CLP 1,424

21.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.93 CLP 1,802

-18.65%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$3.48 CLP 3,248

-27.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$10.64 CLP 9,937

-22.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.61 CLP 6,173

27.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$11.14 CLP 10.4K

-4.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.82 CLP 1,696

43.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.58 CLP 1,473

-8.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.53 CLP 1,430

28.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.46 CLP 1,359

43.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.28 CLP 1,193

44.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.37 CLP 1,278

58.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.26 CLP 1,175

-18.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.22 CLP 1,140

-12.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$5.55 CLP 5,182

-26.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$5.90 CLP 5,511

72.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.57 CLP 1,464

7.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.29 CLP 2,134

10.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.62 CLP 577

-17.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.51 CLP 477

533.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$2.13 CLP 1,991

13.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.43 CLP 1,332

-7.69%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$19.2K CLP 18.0M

54.31%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$21.0K CLP 19.6M

12.59%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$129 CLP 120.8K

-36.64%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$13.68 CLP 12.8K

67.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$22.34 CLP 20.9K

34.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$37.93 CLP 35.4K

37.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$21.14 CLP 19.7K

-12.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$5.60 CLP 5,228

-11.07%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$433 CLP 403.9K

-54.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$50.3 CLP 46.9K

-29.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$30.34 CLP 28.3K

32.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$61.1 CLP 57.0K

28.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$81.6 CLP 76.1K

9.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$475 CLP 443.5K

99.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$377 CLP 352.3K

25.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$895 CLP 835.9K

83.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$589 CLP 550.3K

105.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$536 CLP 500.8K

21.89%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Villarrica: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $475 in Villarrica. 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 22% 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 $45.00 in Villarrica. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $230 in Villarrica – so Villarrica 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 Villarrica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 15%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,634 in Villarrica. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Villarrica, 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,090 in Villarrica. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $433 in Villarrica. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Villarrica, where all-in costs run around $1,090, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Villarrica it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Villarrica – 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 Villarrica. 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.