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 $758 per month in Vacoas vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,100 per month in Vacoas vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,443 per month in Vacoas vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

Both Vacoas and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Vacoas 45% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 MUR 279

$11.60 MX$200

-49.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.39 MUR 1,527

$47.11 MX$812

-31.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.45 MUR 304

$11.88 MX$205

-45.71%

Cappuccino

$2.68 MUR 126

$3.98 MX$68.6

-32.66%

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

$1.17 MUR 55.4

$1.43 MX$24.60

-18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 MUR 29.09

$0.82 MX$14.22

-24.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.68 MUR 126

$3.19 MX$55.0

-15.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 MUR 185

$6.79 MX$117

-42.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 MUR 69.0

$1.68 MX$28.89

-13.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 MUR 32.44

$2.20 MX$37.88

-68.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 MUR 52.7

$1.71 MX$29.45

-34.50%

Eggs

$2.23 MUR 105

$2.74 MX$47.26

-18.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.71 MUR 128

$9.58 MX$165

-71.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.50 MUR 118

$9.01 MX$155

-72.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.15 MUR 526

$12.81 MX$221

-12.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 MUR 119

$2.89 MX$49.81

-13.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 MUR 107

$1.50 MX$25.81

52.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 MUR 68.1

$2.15 MX$37.03

-33.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.98 MUR 141

$2.26 MX$38.96

31.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 MUR 48.42

$1.98 MX$34.15

-47.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 MUR 48.00

$1.99 MX$34.30

-48.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 MUR 34.65

$1.23 MX$21.28

-39.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 MUR 33.99

$1.20 MX$20.63

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.22 MUR 293

$4.55 MX$78.5

36.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.31 MUR 297

$10.37 MX$179

-39.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 MUR 68.0

$1.62 MX$27.91

-11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 MUR 112

$2.88 MX$49.67

-17.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 MUR 60.8

$0.60 MX$10.35

115.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.18 MUR 197

$5.39 MX$92.9

-22.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.24 MUR 152

$3.73 MX$64.3

-13.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.31 MUR 203

$5.77 MX$99.5

-25.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MUR 62.3

$1.54 MX$26.48

-14.29%

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

$29.7K MUR 1.4M

$22.5K MX$388.8K

31.64%

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

$31.5K MUR 1.5M

$26.1K MX$449.3K

20.99%

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

$44.29 MUR 2,087

$91.4 MX$1,576

-51.53%

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

$10.41 MUR 491

$25.20 MX$435

-58.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.75 MUR 1,166

$31.24 MX$539

-20.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.18 MUR 1,187

$67.2 MX$1,159

-62.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 MUR 257

$4.86 MX$83.8

12.35%

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

$128 MUR 6,033

$224 MX$3,856

-42.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,694 MUR 362.6K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

81.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.18 MUR 1,517

$47.10 MX$812

-31.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.77 MUR 1,827

$44.29 MX$764

-12.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.7 MUR 3,002

$80.1 MX$1,381

-20.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.98 MUR 2,214

$92.7 MX$1,598

-49.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$263 MUR 12.4K

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-75.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 MUR 10.3K

$390 MX$6,728

-44.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$472 MUR 22.2K

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-78.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 MUR 10.9K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-81.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$700 MUR 33.0K

$758 MX$13.1K

-7.66%

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 Vacoas: September 15, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $263 in Vacoas 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 8% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $32.00 in Vacoas versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $177 vs $276 – 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 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 $1,137 per month in Vacoas 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 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 $758 in Vacoas and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $128 per month in Vacoas and $224 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 $758, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.