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 $681 in Villarrica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $855 in Villarrica, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,030 in Villarrica, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 90% 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 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.79 ₲23.1K

209.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$15.04 ₲91.6K

176.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.53 ₲27.6K

134.88%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$1.23 ₲7,524

186.18%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.61 ₲3,695

147.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.40 ₲2,431

142.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.05 ₲6,372

180.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$0.93 ₲5,664

378.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$0.91 ₲5,550

51.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.81 ₲4,954

133.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$0.91 ₲5,528

80.22%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.65 ₲10.0K

52.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$5.55 ₲33.8K

50.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$2.97 ₲18.1K

180.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$6.35 ₲38.7K

68.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.96 ₲12.0K

32.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$0.78 ₲4,765

87.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$0.64 ₲3,902

196.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.65 ₲10.1K

26.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.02 ₲6,227

74.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.62 ₲3,793

253.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.55 ₲3,357

89.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.53 ₲3,226

103.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$0.84 ₲5,110

385.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$8.48 ₲51.7K

21.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$0.50 ₲3,068

242.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.35 ₲8,206

91.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.60 ₲3,672

443.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.79 ₲4,810

215.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$3.79 ₲23.1K

-14.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.89 ₲5,404

47.19%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$14.8K ₲90.4M

104.11%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$24.1K ₲147.0M

-2.89%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$22.93 ₲139.8K

261.40%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$13.68 ₲83.4K

62.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$14.91 ₲90.9K

96.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$24.92 ₲151.9K

107.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$2.54 ₲15.5K

621.26%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$4.93 ₲30.1K

2.84%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$31.72 ₲193.3K

533.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$3,230 ₲19.7M

61.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$49.25 ₲300.2K

-25.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$30.91 ₲188.4K

28.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$73.4 ₲447.5K

6.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$51.3 ₲312.4K

69.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$287 ₲1.8M

62.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$187 ₲1.1M

779.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$149 ₲910.9K

716.81%

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

$541 ₲3.3M

22.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.17

12.29%

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: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 23% 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 $15.00 in Villarrica. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $138 – 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 90%, 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 $1,022 in Villarrica. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $681 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 $31.72 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 $681, 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.

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.