Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio do Sul and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio do Sul and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $798 per month in Rio do Sul vs $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,233 per month in Rio do Sul vs $2,336 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,667 per month in Rio do Sul vs $3,341 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Rio do Sul is about 40% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Rio do Sul and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Rio do Sul 42% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 R$24.40

$13.02 MX$221

-63.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.96 R$109

$46.25 MX$784

-54.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.68 R$39.86

$12.59 MX$213

-39.00%

Cappuccino

$2.04 R$10.58

$4.00 MX$67.9

-49.00%

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

$1.16 R$6.05

$1.42 MX$24.08

-18.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.48

$0.81 MX$13.73

6.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 R$14.35

$3.05 MX$51.7

-9.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 R$22.46

$6.82 MX$116

-36.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 R$5.09

$1.71 MX$29.04

-42.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 R$9.06

$2.22 MX$37.62

-21.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.26

$1.72 MX$29.13

-29.65%

Eggs

$1.51 R$7.82

$2.71 MX$45.99

-44.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.66 R$39.77

$9.37 MX$159

-18.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.76 R$19.53

$8.86 MX$150

-57.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.64 R$34.48

$12.78 MX$217

-48.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 R$8.19

$3.13 MX$53.0

-49.52%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 R$5.10

$1.55 MX$26.24

-36.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.76 R$3.93

$2.15 MX$36.51

-64.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.98

$2.35 MX$39.89

-51.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 R$4.01

$2.02 MX$34.23

-61.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 R$3.48

$1.99 MX$33.67

-66.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 R$3.72

$1.24 MX$21.09

-41.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 R$3.90

$1.19 MX$20.21

-36.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 R$14.54

$4.65 MX$78.8

-39.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.93 R$20.38

$10.47 MX$177

-62.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 R$7.11

$1.58 MX$26.82

-13.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 R$13.97

$2.92 MX$49.48

-7.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 R$5.20

$0.56 MX$9.53

78.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 R$218

$29.76 MX$504

40.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 R$6.30

$5.32 MX$90.2

-77.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 R$3.80

$3.72 MX$63.0

-80.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.76 R$29.92

$5.78 MX$97.9

-0.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.82

$1.55 MX$26.27

-27.74%

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

$23.2K R$120.5K

$22.4K MX$379.1K

3.74%

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

$31.3K R$162.6K

$25.6K MX$433.3K

22.43%

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

$61.6 R$320

$89.3 MX$1,513

-31.01%

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

$9.63 R$50.0

$23.30 MX$395

-58.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.77 R$103

$31.72 MX$538

-37.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 R$131

$68.8 MX$1,165

-63.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.26 R$142

$29.40 MX$498

-7.28%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 R$25.42

$5.06 MX$85.7

-3.36%

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

$299 R$1,552

$222 MX$3,765

34.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K R$56.0K

$4,293 MX$72.7K

151.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.96 R$254

$46.21 MX$783

5.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 R$262

$44.43 MX$753

13.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.7 R$398

$95.5 MX$1,618

-19.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.58 R$252

$92.5 MX$1,568

-47.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$348 R$1,805

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-67.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$234 R$1,214

$393 MX$6,663

-40.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 R$3,356

$1,988 MX$33.7K

-67.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 R$2,314

$1,304 MX$22.1K

-65.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,610 R$8,363

$4,037 MX$68.4K

-60.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,151 R$5,977

$6,627 MX$112.3K

-82.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.54

11.6

-0.52%

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

Last update for Rio do Sul: August 18, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $348 in Rio do Sul versus $1,069 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Rio do Sul versus $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $158 vs $277 – making Rio do Sul 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 do Sul vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 67%, 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 $1,197 per month in Rio do Sul and $1,995 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 Rio do Sul, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $798 in Rio do Sul and $1,330 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 41% less in Rio do Sul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Rio do Sul, where all-in costs run around $798, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. In Rio do Sul 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 do Sul – 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 do Sul. 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.