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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $724 per month in Vacoas vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,107 per month in Vacoas vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,490 per month in Vacoas vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Vacoas is about 42% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Vacoas and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Vacoas 46% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.58 MUR 309

$11.99 MX$210

-45.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.98 MUR 1,549

$41.78 MX$733

-21.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 MUR 234

$10.75 MX$189

-53.67%

Cappuccino

$2.58 MUR 121

$3.50 MX$61.3

-26.29%

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

$0.97 MUR 45.62

$1.45 MX$25.41

-33.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 MUR 28.02

$0.88 MX$15.52

-31.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 MUR 106

$2.95 MX$51.7

-23.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 MUR 93.6

$4.51 MX$79.1

-55.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 MUR 62.9

$1.43 MX$25.12

-6.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 MUR 30.80

$1.84 MX$32.23

-64.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 MUR 59.3

$1.57 MX$27.51

-19.75%

Eggs

$2.10 MUR 98.6

$2.51 MX$44.06

-16.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.83 MUR 133

$8.28 MX$145

-65.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.92 MUR 137

$8.43 MX$148

-65.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.44 MUR 255

$10.68 MX$187

-49.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 MUR 93.5

$2.61 MX$45.76

-23.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MUR 94.5

$1.44 MX$25.22

39.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 MUR 68.2

$1.96 MX$34.41

-26.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.72 MUR 128

$2.09 MX$36.74

30.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 MUR 46.24

$1.85 MX$32.47

-47.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 MUR 47.23

$2.17 MX$38.02

-53.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 MUR 37.62

$1.03 MX$18.09

-22.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 MUR 35.29

$1.07 MX$18.84

-29.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.80 MUR 272

$4.10 MX$72.0

41.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.48 MUR 304

$10.17 MX$178

-36.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 MUR 68.7

$1.68 MX$29.38

-13.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 MUR 104

$2.53 MX$44.31

-12.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 MUR 44.35

$0.51 MX$8.93

84.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.30 MUR 202

$3.23 MX$56.7

33.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 MUR 125

$2.41 MX$42.19

10.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.53 MUR 213

$3.23 MX$56.6

40.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 MUR 65.8

$1.32 MX$23.17

6.06%

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

$26.9K MUR 1.3M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-9.43%

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

$28.3K MUR 1.3M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

19.44%

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

$49.42 MUR 2,322

$82.0 MX$1,439

-39.74%

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

$11.04 MUR 519

$22.95 MX$403

-51.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.44 MUR 1,195

$30.11 MX$528

-15.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.11 MUR 1,227

$52.0 MX$912

-49.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 MUR 256

$4.98 MX$87.3

9.64%

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

$157 MUR 7,378

$197 MX$3,463

-20.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,037 MUR 189.6K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-24.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.83 MUR 1,402

$35.60 MX$624

-16.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.57 MUR 1,342

$40.33 MX$707

-29.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 MUR 3,130

$78.8 MX$1,381

-15.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.5 MUR 2,793

$88.9 MX$1,560

-33.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 MUR 12.3K

$947 MX$16.6K

-72.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 MUR 11.0K

$474 MX$8,314

-50.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$520 MUR 24.4K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-68.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 MUR 15.3K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-73.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$697 MUR 32.7K

$654 MX$11.5K

6.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

11.42

-62.78%

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

Last update for Vacoas: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $262 in Vacoas versus $947 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 7% higher in Vacoas, 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 $33.00 in Vacoas versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $156 vs $249 – making Vacoas 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 73%, 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 $1,086 per month in Vacoas and $1,884 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 Vacoas, 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 $724 in Vacoas and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $157 per month in Vacoas and $197 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 Vacoas, where all-in costs run around $724, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Vacoas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Vacoas – 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 Vacoas. 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.