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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,329 per month in Vac vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,280 per month in Vac vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,232 per month in Vac vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Vac costs about 5% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Vac and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Vac 3% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.40 Ft 6,171

$11.60 MX$200

67.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$115 Ft 36.6K

$47.11 MX$812

144.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 Ft 3,086

$11.88 MX$205

-18.35%

Cappuccino

$2.39 Ft 760

$3.98 MX$68.6

-39.95%

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

$1.58 Ft 503

$1.43 MX$24.60

10.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 Ft 419

$0.82 MX$14.22

60.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 Ft 711

$3.19 MX$55.0

-29.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 Ft 758

$6.79 MX$117

-64.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 Ft 414

$1.68 MX$28.89

-22.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 Ft 469

$2.20 MX$37.88

-33.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 Ft 740

$1.71 MX$29.45

35.67%

Eggs

$3.28 Ft 1,044

$2.74 MX$47.26

19.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.52 Ft 2,709

$9.58 MX$165

-11.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.10 Ft 1,940

$9.01 MX$155

-32.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.85 Ft 5,359

$12.81 MX$221

31.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 607

$2.89 MX$49.81

-33.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 Ft 688

$1.50 MX$25.81

44.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 Ft 672

$2.15 MX$37.03

-1.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 Ft 762

$2.26 MX$38.96

6.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 Ft 530

$1.98 MX$34.15

-15.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 Ft 373

$1.99 MX$34.30

-41.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 Ft 433

$1.23 MX$21.28

10.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 Ft 164

$1.20 MX$20.63

-57.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.79 Ft 2,479

$4.55 MX$78.5

71.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.08 Ft 1,617

$10.37 MX$179

-51.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 Ft 273

$1.62 MX$27.91

-46.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 Ft 727

$2.88 MX$49.67

-20.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.39 Ft 444

$0.60 MX$10.35

131.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.20 Ft 9,608

$28.80 MX$497

4.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 Ft 954

$5.39 MX$92.9

-44.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 Ft 512

$3.73 MX$64.3

-56.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.80 Ft 5,345

$5.77 MX$99.5

191.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 Ft 586

$1.54 MX$26.48

19.48%

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

$28.9K Ft 9.2M

$22.5K MX$388.8K

28.01%

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

$40.5K Ft 12.9M

$26.1K MX$449.3K

55.50%

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

$157 Ft 49.9K

$91.4 MX$1,576

71.79%

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

$25.87 Ft 8,230

$25.20 MX$435

2.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.02 Ft 7,006

$31.24 MX$539

-29.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.73 Ft 15.8K

$67.2 MX$1,159

-26.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.35 Ft 5,518

$29.11 MX$502

-40.40%

Cinema Ticket

$8.45 Ft 2,688

$4.86 MX$83.8

73.87%

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

$309 Ft 98.2K

$224 MX$3,856

38.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,805 Ft 2.2M

$4,229 MX$72.9K

60.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.6 Ft 28.8K

$47.10 MX$812

92.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 Ft 10.3K

$44.29 MX$764

-26.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 Ft 26.7K

$80.1 MX$1,381

4.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 Ft 34.7K

$92.7 MX$1,598

17.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$528 Ft 168.1K

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-50.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$408 Ft 129.7K

$390 MX$6,728

4.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$866 Ft 275.5K

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-59.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$784 Ft 249.3K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-38.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,145 Ft 1.0M

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-21.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,657 Ft 845.4K

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-59.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,438 Ft 457.4K

$758 MX$13.1K

89.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

11.45

-41.75%

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

Last update for Vac: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $528 in Vac versus $1,063 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 90% higher in Vac, 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 $115 in Vac versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Vac vs $276 in Playa del Carmen – so Vac wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Yes – Vac is pricier by about 5%, 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 $1,993 per month in Vac and $1,899 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,329 in Vac and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 5% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Vac at $1,329. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vac 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, Vac makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.