Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio Claro and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio Claro and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $863 per month in Rio Claro vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,537 per month in Rio Claro vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,211 per month in Rio Claro vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Rio Claro is about 32% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Rio Claro and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Rio Claro 35% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.54 TTD 70.8

$11.72 MX$203

-10.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.9 TTD 590

$41.89 MX$725

109.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.02 TTD 33.71

$10.51 MX$182

-52.24%

Cappuccino

$2.11 TTD 14.20

$3.59 MX$62.0

-41.23%

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

$0.83 TTD 5.56

$1.51 MX$26.10

-45.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 TTD 4.71

$0.92 MX$15.83

-23.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 TTD 10.69

$2.96 MX$51.2

-46.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 TTD 19.29

$4.41 MX$76.3

-34.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.78 TTD 18.65

$1.40 MX$24.16

98.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.24 TTD 15.07

$1.88 MX$32.60

19.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 TTD 17.62

$1.56 MX$26.97

67.95%

Eggs

$3.58 TTD 24.05

$2.61 MX$45.14

37.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 TTD 54.1

$8.32 MX$144

-3.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.55 TTD 70.9

$8.35 MX$145

26.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.18 TTD 95.2

$10.86 MX$188

30.57%

Apples (1kg)

$5.90 TTD 39.63

$2.71 MX$46.93

117.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 TTD 17.58

$1.51 MX$26.04

73.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 TTD 29.05

$1.87 MX$32.41

131.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.69 TTD 31.52

$2.19 MX$37.89

114.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 TTD 9.66

$1.86 MX$32.14

-22.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 TTD 11.07

$2.23 MX$38.59

-26.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 TTD 12.75

$1.07 MX$18.48

77.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 TTD 9.48

$1.09 MX$18.79

29.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.37 TTD 29.38

$4.19 MX$72.4

4.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.44 TTD 131

$10.43 MX$180

86.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 TTD 14.88

$1.66 MX$28.68

33.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 TTD 17.63

$2.61 MX$45.19

0.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 TTD 10.23

$0.54 MX$9.37

181.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 TTD 7.04

$3.08 MX$53.3

-65.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 TTD 8.57

$2.40 MX$41.61

-46.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.62 TTD 98.2

$3.13 MX$54.1

367.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 TTD 6.51

$1.31 MX$22.69

-25.95%

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

$33.8K TTD 227.1K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

13.44%

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

$38.0K TTD 254.9K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

62.76%

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

$78.9 TTD 530

$81.3 MX$1,406

-2.92%

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

$46.32 TTD 311

$22.56 MX$390

105.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.20 TTD 304

$30.05 MX$520

50.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.31 TTD 298

$52.9 MX$915

-16.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$7.35 TTD 49.33

$4.92 MX$85.1

49.39%

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

$324 TTD 2,175

$201 MX$3,474

61.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,272 TTD 48.8K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

40.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.62 TTD 300

$35.92 MX$622

24.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.71 TTD 260

$40.13 MX$694

-3.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.1 TTD 390

$79.7 MX$1,379

-27.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 TTD 607

$86.5 MX$1,496

4.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

11.42

-52.89%

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

Last update for Rio Claro: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $88.0 in Rio Claro versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $368 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 46%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,295 per month in Rio Claro and $1,890 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $863 in Rio Claro and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $324 per month in Rio Claro and $201 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Rio Claro, where all-in costs run around $863, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Rio Claro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rio Claro – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Rio Claro. 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.