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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,174 in Visaginas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,875 in Visaginas, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,576 in Visaginas, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 7% more than Visaginas, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Visaginas are more affordable than the global median โ€“ Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Visaginas 12% lower.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Visaginas
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.67 MX$202
$11.76 โ‚ฌ10.03
-0.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.88 MX$726
$64.6 โ‚ฌ55.1
-35.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.40 MX$180
$9.19 โ‚ฌ7.84
13.17%
Cappuccino
$3.61 MX$62.6
$3.49 โ‚ฌ2.98
3.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 MX$25.45
$2.34 โ‚ฌ2.00
-37.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 MX$15.80
$1.70 โ‚ฌ1.45
-46.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.03 MX$52.6
$5.32 โ‚ฌ4.54
-43.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 MX$77.4
$4.36 โ‚ฌ3.72
2.52%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Visaginas
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 MX$23.83
$1.46 โ‚ฌ1.24
-5.48%
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 MX$31.93
$1.85 โ‚ฌ1.58
-0.54%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 MX$27.82
$2.34 โ‚ฌ2.00
-31.20%
Eggs
$2.57 MX$44.52
$2.76 โ‚ฌ2.35
-6.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.49 MX$147
$10.71 โ‚ฌ9.13
-20.73%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.49 MX$147
$7.72 โ‚ฌ6.58
9.97%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.99 MX$190
$11.90 โ‚ฌ10.15
-7.65%
Apples (1kg)
$2.73 MX$47.25
$1.15 โ‚ฌ0.98
137.39%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$25.92
$1.37 โ‚ฌ1.17
9.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.96 MX$33.93
$2.12 โ‚ฌ1.81
-7.55%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$36.70
$3.44 โ‚ฌ2.93
-38.37%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 MX$32.30
$1.01 โ‚ฌ0.86
84.16%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 MX$37.67
$1.16 โ‚ฌ0.99
87.07%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 MX$18.59
$1.68 โ‚ฌ1.43
-36.31%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 MX$18.18
$1.04 โ‚ฌ0.89
0.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19 MX$72.6
$5.75 โ‚ฌ4.90
-27.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.28 MX$178
$10.52 โ‚ฌ8.97
-2.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67 MX$28.87
$1.64 โ‚ฌ1.40
1.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49 MX$43.12
$2.25 โ‚ฌ1.92
10.67%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Visaginas
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.54 MX$9.37
$1.19 โ‚ฌ1.02
-54.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.27 MX$455
$33.76 โ‚ฌ28.80
-22.19%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.10 MX$53.8
$2.93 โ‚ฌ2.50
5.80%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.46 MX$42.66
$1.06 โ‚ฌ0.90
132.08%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.24 MX$56.1
$9.23 โ‚ฌ7.87
-64.90%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.26 MX$21.83
$1.70 โ‚ฌ1.45
-25.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2K MX$522.8K
$39.3K โ‚ฌ33.5K
-23.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4K MX$406.3K
$32.1K โ‚ฌ27.4K
-26.90%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Visaginas
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.0 MX$1,456
$210 โ‚ฌ179
-60.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.21 MX$385
$16.10 โ‚ฌ13.73
37.95%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.65 MX$514
$13.73 โ‚ฌ11.72
115.95%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Visaginas
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.6 MX$912
$44.07 โ‚ฌ37.59
19.45%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.34 MX$318
$22.84 โ‚ฌ19.49
-19.70%
Cinema Ticket
$4.95 MX$85.7
$9.14 โ‚ฌ7.79
-45.84%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Visaginas
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$198 MX$3,438
$660 โ‚ฌ563
-69.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,322 MX$92.2K
$7,518 โ‚ฌ6,413
-29.22%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Visaginas
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.95 MX$623
$85.1 โ‚ฌ72.6
-57.76%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.06 MX$694
$47.40 โ‚ฌ40.43
-15.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.8 MX$1,365
$99.5 โ‚ฌ84.9
-20.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5 MX$1,499
$114 โ‚ฌ97.6
-24.35%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Visaginas
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$977 MX$16.9K
$204 โ‚ฌ174
379.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$471 MX$8,158
$171 โ‚ฌ146
175.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,595 MX$27.6K
$398 โ‚ฌ339
301.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,215 MX$21.1K
$356 โ‚ฌ303
241.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,032 MX$69.9K
$1,068 โ‚ฌ911
277.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,579 MX$114.0K
$816 โ‚ฌ696
706.60%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Visaginas
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$714 MX$12.4K
$1,579 โ‚ฌ1,347
-54.78%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
4.5
153.78%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Visaginas: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $204 in Visaginas. 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 121% higher in Visaginas, which reinforces the cost advantage โ€“ you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $65 in Visaginas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $258 โ€“ making Playa del Carmen 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 Visaginas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Visaginas cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes โ€“ Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,760 in Visaginas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ€“ not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Visaginas, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs Visaginas?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $1,174 in Visaginas. The difference isn't just one category โ€“ it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 29% less in Visaginas. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Visaginas?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Visaginas, where all-in costs run around $1,174, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Visaginas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Visaginas more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Visaginas โ€“ lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Visaginas?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison โ€“ central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Visaginas. 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.

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