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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,355 per month in Rarotonga vs $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,003 per month in Rarotonga vs $2,130 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,650 per month in Rarotonga vs $2,999 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

Rarotonga sits 1% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.13 NZ$20.50

$11.67 MX$202

3.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.4 NZ$100

$41.88 MX$726

41.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.72 NZ$13.04

$10.40 MX$180

-25.77%

Cappuccino

$4.42 NZ$7.48

$3.61 MX$62.6

22.44%

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

$3.42 NZ$5.77

$1.47 MX$25.45

132.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 NZ$4.88

$0.91 MX$15.80

217.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.67 NZ$11.28

$3.03 MX$52.6

120.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.53 NZ$9.34

$4.47 MX$77.4

23.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 NZ$3.72

$1.38 MX$23.83

59.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 NZ$4.84

$1.84 MX$31.93

55.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 NZ$2.51

$1.61 MX$27.82

-7.45%

Eggs

$6.48 NZ$10.95

$2.57 MX$44.52

152.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.89 NZ$15.02

$8.49 MX$147

4.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.05 NZ$11.92

$8.49 MX$147

-16.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.15 NZ$12.09

$10.99 MX$190

-34.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 NZ$5.15

$2.73 MX$47.25

11.72%

Banana (1kg)

$3.03 NZ$5.12

$1.50 MX$25.92

102.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.68 NZ$6.21

$1.96 MX$33.93

87.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.94 NZ$4.97

$2.12 MX$36.70

38.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 NZ$3.01

$1.86 MX$32.30

-4.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 NZ$2.33

$2.17 MX$37.67

-36.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 NZ$2.97

$1.07 MX$18.59

64.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.69 NZ$6.23

$1.05 MX$18.18

251.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.84 NZ$25.07

$4.19 MX$72.6

254.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.95 NZ$20.19

$10.28 MX$178

16.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.56 NZ$6.01

$1.67 MX$28.87

113.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.46 NZ$9.22

$2.49 MX$43.12

119.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 NZ$5.00

$0.54 MX$9.37

448.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$20.86 NZ$35.26

$3.10 MX$53.8

572.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.20 NZ$61.2

$3.24 MX$56.1

1017.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 NZ$3.15

$1.26 MX$21.83

47.62%

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

$12.3K NZ$20.8K

$30.2K MX$522.8K

-59.28%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

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

$92.0 NZ$155

$84.0 MX$1,456

9.49%

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

$30.46 NZ$51.5

$22.21 MX$385

37.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$105 NZ$178

$29.65 MX$514

254.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.30 NZ$42.76

$52.6 MX$912

-51.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.83 NZ$40.28

$18.34 MX$318

29.93%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 NZ$12.05

$4.95 MX$85.7

44.04%

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

$198 MX$3,438

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,433 NZ$2,422

$5,322 MX$92.2K

-73.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 NZ$829

$977 MX$16.9K

-49.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 NZ$801

$471 MX$8,158

0.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$718 NZ$1,214

$1,595 MX$27.6K

-54.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$722 NZ$1,220

$1,215 MX$21.1K

-40.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,055 NZ$6,853

$714 MX$12.4K

467.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-29.95%

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

Last update for Rarotonga: April 20, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $491 in Rarotonga versus $977 in Playa del Carmen. 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 468% higher in Rarotonga, 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 $59 in Rarotonga versus $42 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $341 vs $252 – 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

Rarotonga vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rarotonga 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,033 per month in Rarotonga and $1,891 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% more in Rarotonga, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Rarotonga and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Rarotonga at $1,355. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rarotonga it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rarotonga makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.