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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $970 in Villarrica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,230 in Villarrica, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,491 in Villarrica, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 35% more than Villarrica, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Villarrica are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Villarrica 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$7.24 ₲42.8K

65.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$20.44 ₲120.7K

131.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$6.57 ₲38.8K

78.84%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$3.36 ₲19.8K

22.62%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.06 ₲6,277

32.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.59 ₲3,454

54.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.42 ₲8,379

126.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$1.29 ₲7,601

448.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.14 ₲6,753

47.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.27 ₲7,470

69.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.35 ₲7,984

31.11%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.04 ₲12.1K

38.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$9.13 ₲53.9K

0.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$3.79 ₲22.4K

143.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$10.13 ₲59.8K

24.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$2.95 ₲17.4K

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.21 ₲7,117

30.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.18 ₲6,986

88.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$2.42 ₲14.3K

-2.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.35 ₲7,957

47.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.81 ₲4,787

144.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.86 ₲5,055

44.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.69 ₲4,055

75.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$1.21 ₲7,147

280.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$9.10 ₲53.7K

15.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$0.67 ₲3,927

152.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$1.72 ₲10.2K

61.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$1.43 ₲8,415

266.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.51 ₲8,905

141.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$5.11 ₲30.1K

13.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.16 ₲6,824

32.76%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$17.0K ₲100.2M

34.39%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$34.5K ₲203.5M

-25.13%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$29.81 ₲176.0K

204.16%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$17.26 ₲101.9K

45.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$21.79 ₲128.6K

45.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$32.71 ₲193.1K

110.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$3.47 ₲20.5K

746.40%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$8.49 ₲50.1K

-42.76%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$41.98 ₲247.8K

437.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$5,836 ₲34.5M

-28.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$63.5 ₲374.9K

-25.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$56.4 ₲332.7K

-22.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$104 ₲615.5K

-23.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$69.2 ₲408.2K

32.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$383 ₲2.3M

6.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$254 ₲1.5M

677.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$204 ₲1.2M

528.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$548 ₲3.2M

41.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

10.15

12.81%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Villarrica: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 41% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $20.00 in Villarrica. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $196 – making Villarrica 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 Villarrica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 35%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,454 in Villarrica. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $970 in Villarrica. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $41.98 in Villarrica. 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 Villarrica, where all-in costs run around $970, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.

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 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.