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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,100 in Villarrica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,675 in Villarrica, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,250 in Villarrica, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 18% more than Villarrica, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Villarrica are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Villarrica 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$8.51 CLP 7,614

37.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$45.16 CLP 40.4K

-7.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.21 CLP 7,343

29.60%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$2.72 CLP 2,435

29.41%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.31 CLP 1,168

15.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$1.06 CLP 947

-8.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$3.15 CLP 2,818

-6.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$4.11 CLP 3,674

8.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.23 CLP 1,100

12.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.56 CLP 1,397

21.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.88 CLP 1,684

-12.77%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$3.55 CLP 3,176

-29.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$10.40 CLP 9,306

-19.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$6.49 CLP 5,805

28.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.94 CLP 9,785

-1.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.81 CLP 1,617

43.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.57 CLP 1,408

-7.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.60 CLP 1,429

18.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.51 CLP 1,347

37.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.30 CLP 1,160

36.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.41 CLP 1,264

55.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.26 CLP 1,124

-17.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.24 CLP 1,105

-12.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$5.44 CLP 4,869

-25.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$6.29 CLP 5,625

64.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.55 CLP 1,387

10.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.23 CLP 1,997

15.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.63 CLP 560

-19.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.51 CLP 453

539.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$2.07 CLP 1,854

20.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.38 CLP 1,231

-5.07%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$19.7K CLP 17.6M

53.66%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$21.7K CLP 19.4M

8.04%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$131 CLP 117.2K

-36.73%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$13.53 CLP 12.1K

64.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$22.17 CLP 19.8K

32.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$37.83 CLP 33.8K

36.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$21.49 CLP 19.2K

-14.75%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$5.51 CLP 4,933

-7.99%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$438 CLP 392.0K

-54.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$51.4 CLP 46.0K

-28.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$30.16 CLP 27.0K

31.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$62.7 CLP 56.1K

25.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$83.4 CLP 74.6K

4.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$473 CLP 422.8K

105.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$368 CLP 328.9K

27.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$886 CLP 792.5K

85.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$602 CLP 538.4K

102.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$558 CLP 499.6K

18.89%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Villarrica: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $473 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 19% 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 18%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,650 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,100 in Villarrica. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $438 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 $1,100, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.