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

🙂 Solo nomad: Recife is 40.1% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 38.7% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Recife is 20.9% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 39.3% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Recife
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.05 R$28.01
$11.99 MX$227
-57.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.3 R$157
$42.47 MX$803
-33.36%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.89 R$38.23
$10.47 MX$198
-34.19%
Cappuccino
$1.78 R$9.88
$3.6 MX$68.2
-50.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.89 R$4.91
$1.44 MX$27.16
-38.19%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 R$2.95
$0.89 MX$16.79
-40.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.41 R$7.8
$3.09 MX$58.5
-54.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.01 R$16.69
$4.58 MX$86.6
-34.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Recife
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.14 R$6.32
$1.38 MX$26.04
-17.39%
White Bread (500g)
$1.45 R$8.03
$1.85 MX$34.9
-21.62%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.27 R$7.04
$1.57 MX$29.68
-19.11%
Eggs
$2.29 R$12.72
$2.55 MX$48.3
-10.20%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.81 R$37.78
$8.61 MX$163
-20.91%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.56 R$19.76
$8.54 MX$161
-58.31%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.94 R$38.54
$10.98 MX$208
-36.79%
Apples (1kg)
$2.19 R$12.17
$2.72 MX$51.4
-19.49%
Banana (1kg)
$1.29 R$7.19
$1.51 MX$28.57
-14.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.11 R$6.16
$1.88 MX$35.63
-40.96%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.61 R$8.95
$2.19 MX$41.42
-26.48%
Potato (1kg)
$1.29 R$7.18
$1.87 MX$35.3
-31.02%
Onion (1kg)
$1.04 R$5.75
$2.19 MX$41.37
-52.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.51 R$2.82
$1.07 MX$20.23
-52.34%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.75 R$4.15
$1.09 MX$20.64
-31.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.64 R$9.08
$3.96 MX$74.9
-58.59%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.44 R$41.32
$8.86 MX$167
-16.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.2 R$6.66
$1.72 MX$32.53
-30.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 R$9.28
$2.61 MX$49.37
-36.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Recife
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.76 R$4.21
$0.52 MX$9.74
46.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$36.46 R$202
$26.59 MX$503
37.12%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.15 R$6.36
$3.24 MX$61.2
-64.51%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.66 R$3.68
$2.38 MX$44.94
-72.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.57 R$19.83
$3.11 MX$58.7
14.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.08 R$5.99
$1.31 MX$24.85
-17.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$16.3K R$90.4K
$30.3K MX$573K
-46.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.1K R$122.8K
$24K MX$453.6K
-7.83%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Recife
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$71.7 R$398
$84.2 MX$1,592
-14.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.15 R$89.7
$22.14 MX$419
-27.06%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.67 R$92.5
$30.14 MX$570
-44.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Recife
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$19.47 R$108
$52 MX$983
-62.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$30.95 R$172
$18.72 MX$354
65.33%
Cinema Ticket
$7.29 R$40.48
$5.07 MX$95.9
43.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Recife
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$262 R$1,453
$200 MX$3,787
30.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.6K R$58.8K
$5,333 MX$100.8K
98.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Recife
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.03 R$239
$35.74 MX$676
20.40%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.4 R$280
$39.8 MX$753
26.53%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.4 R$463
$79 MX$1,493
5.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.3 R$429
$88.4 MX$1,671
-12.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Recife
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$323 R$1,794
$965 MX$18.3K
-66.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$202 R$1,122
$474 MX$8,968
-57.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$581 R$3,226
$1,653 MX$31.2K
-64.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$536 R$2,977
$1,202 MX$22.7K
-55.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,490 R$8,270
$3,081 MX$58.3K
-51.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$849 R$4,710
$7,529 MX$142.3K
-88.73%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Recife
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$434 R$2,407
$792 MX$15K
-45.23%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
15
11.42
31.35%

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

Last update for Recife: October 28, 2025

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 28, 2025

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