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 $1,136 per month in Vac vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,780 per month in Vac vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,424 per month in Vac vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Vac is about 12% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Vac and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Vac 15% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.82 Ft 2,753

$11.94 MX$209

-26.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.76 Ft 14.3K

$42.75 MX$748

7.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.75 Ft 2,729

$10.59 MX$185

-17.37%

Cappuccino

$2.09 Ft 651

$3.62 MX$63.4

-42.27%

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

$1.38 Ft 431

$1.47 MX$25.69

-6.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 Ft 338

$0.94 MX$16.51

14.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 Ft 594

$3.09 MX$54.1

-38.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 Ft 680

$4.46 MX$78.0

-51.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 Ft 342

$1.43 MX$24.94

-23.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 Ft 465

$1.88 MX$32.97

-20.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 Ft 567

$1.63 MX$28.50

11.66%

Eggs

$2.69 Ft 838

$2.64 MX$46.26

1.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.53 Ft 2,974

$8.21 MX$144

16.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 Ft 1,823

$8.29 MX$145

-29.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.59 Ft 3,618

$11.10 MX$194

4.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 Ft 564

$2.65 MX$46.40

-31.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 Ft 602

$1.50 MX$26.26

28.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 Ft 632

$1.99 MX$34.79

1.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.02 Ft 942

$2.08 MX$36.33

45.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 Ft 354

$1.79 MX$31.29

-36.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 Ft 393

$2.18 MX$38.09

-42.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 Ft 487

$1.08 MX$18.84

44.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 Ft 163

$1.04 MX$18.15

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.68 Ft 2,086

$3.97 MX$69.5

68.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.16 Ft 1,611

$10.20 MX$179

-49.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 Ft 338

$1.73 MX$30.22

-37.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 Ft 444

$2.50 MX$43.71

-43.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 Ft 369

$0.52 MX$9.07

126.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.77 Ft 7,727

$26.97 MX$472

-8.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.89 Ft 903

$3.14 MX$55.0

-7.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 Ft 346

$2.40 MX$42.04

-53.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.31 Ft 5,401

$3.09 MX$54.0

460.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 Ft 551

$1.27 MX$22.28

39.37%

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

$26.0K Ft 8.1M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-15.86%

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

$31.4K Ft 9.8M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

34.81%

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

$143 Ft 44.7K

$82.0 MX$1,435

74.63%

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

$26.24 Ft 8,186

$22.45 MX$393

16.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.77 Ft 6,169

$29.66 MX$519

-33.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.69 Ft 14.6K

$51.9 MX$908

-9.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 Ft 5,298

$18.67 MX$327

-9.05%

Cinema Ticket

$7.21 Ft 2,250

$4.97 MX$87.0

45.07%

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

$289 Ft 90.2K

$198 MX$3,462

46.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,852 Ft 2.1M

$5,273 MX$92.3K

29.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.1 Ft 22.5K

$36.34 MX$636

98.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.08 Ft 8,448

$40.05 MX$701

-32.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 Ft 23.6K

$79.9 MX$1,398

-5.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.0 Ft 26.5K

$88.9 MX$1,555

-4.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 Ft 133.1K

$963 MX$16.9K

-55.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 Ft 109.5K

$465 MX$8,133

-24.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$792 Ft 247.0K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-50.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 Ft 224.4K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-40.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,076 Ft 959.9K

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-21.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,442 Ft 761.8K

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-62.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,499 Ft 467.8K

$720 MX$12.6K

108.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.4

11.42

-35.20%

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

Last update for Vac: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $426 in Vac versus $963 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 108% higher in Vac, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Vac versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $217 in Vac vs $251 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 – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 13%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,704 per month in Vac and $1,930 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 Vac, 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 $1,136 in Vac and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 9% less in Vac. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Vac, where all-in costs run around $1,136, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Vac it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Vac – 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 Vac. 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.