Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vasto and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,210 a month against $1,683 in Vasto, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Vasto
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,683
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Vasto and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Vasto and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,683 per month in Vasto vs $1,210 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Vasto $1,683
  • Playa del Carmen $1,210

A couple spends around $2,547 per month in Vasto vs $2,113 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Vasto $2,547
  • Playa del Carmen $2,113

A family of three spends $3,412 per month in Vasto vs $3,016 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Vasto $3,412
  • Playa del Carmen $3,016

Vasto costs about 39% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Vasto sits 25% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Vasto
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.02 €15.14
$10.76 MX$199
58.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.5 €60.0
$43.03 MX$795
56.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.18 €9.94
$11.79 MX$218
-5.17%
Cappuccino
$2.01 €1.79
$3.87 MX$71.4
-48.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 €2.64
$1.37 MX$25.29
116.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43 €1.27
$0.84 MX$15.44
70.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.62 €5.00
$3.10 MX$57.3
81.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.87 €6.11
$5.07 MX$93.6
35.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Vasto
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 €1.53
$1.44 MX$26.55
19.44%
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 €1.95
$2.23 MX$41.23
-1.35%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.98 €2.65
$1.47 MX$27.17
102.72%
Eggs
$4.51 €4.01
$2.53 MX$46.71
78.26%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.71 €13.08
$7.30 MX$135
101.51%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.36 €10.99
$7.86 MX$145
57.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.88 €17.68
$12.79 MX$236
55.43%
Apples (1kg)
$2.55 €2.27
$2.90 MX$53.6
-12.07%
Banana (1kg)
$2.28 €2.02
$1.44 MX$26.53
58.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.41 €2.14
$2.55 MX$47.07
-5.49%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.40 €2.13
$2.06 MX$38.03
16.50%
Potato (1kg)
$1.44 €1.28
$2.00 MX$36.97
-28.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.63 €1.45
$2.01 MX$37.07
-18.91%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.38 €1.23
$1.19 MX$22.02
15.97%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.34 €0.31
$1.26 MX$23.23
-73.02%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.29 €6.49
$4.40 MX$81.4
65.68%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.71 €5.08
$9.59 MX$177
-40.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 €1.43
$1.59 MX$29.41
1.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51 €2.23
$2.81 MX$51.9
-10.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Vasto
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.47 €1.31
$0.57 MX$10.47
157.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$46.84 €41.66
$27.82 MX$514
68.37%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.52 €5.80
$4.98 MX$92.1
30.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.69 €1.50
$3.50 MX$64.6
-51.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.42 €29.73
$5.40 MX$99.8
518.89%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.15 €1.91
$1.47 MX$27.08
46.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.4K €31.5K
$21.0K MX$387.8K
68.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.4K €31.5K
$23.9K MX$441.8K
48.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vasto
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$208 €185
$84.2 MX$1,556
146.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.50 €10.23
$23.99 MX$443
-52.06%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.01 €28.47
$29.02 MX$536
10.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Vasto
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.7 €46.86
$63.0 MX$1,164
-16.35%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.88 €19.46
$29.14 MX$539
-24.91%
Cinema Ticket
$11.32 €10.07
$4.94 MX$91.3
129.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Vasto
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$493 €439
$204 MX$3,763
142.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.0K €15.1K
$3,941 MX$72.8K
330.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Vasto
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.9 €64.0
$43.60 MX$806
64.93%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.66 €32.61
$43.12 MX$797
-14.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.0 €73.8
$75.8 MX$1,400
9.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €107
$88.6 MX$1,637
36.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Vasto
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$739 €657
$1,008 MX$18.6K
-26.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$570 €507
$374 MX$6,911
52.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,149 €1,022
$1,708 MX$31.6K
-32.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$905 €805
$1,106 MX$20.4K
-18.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,931 €2,607
$3,944 MX$72.9K
-25.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,996 €1,775
$6,169 MX$114.0K
-67.65%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Vasto
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$754 MX$13.9K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.52
11.45
-69.26%

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

Last update for Vasto: October 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Vasto
$570
Playa del Carmen
$374 34.4% $196
Groceries & Markets
Vasto
$324
Playa del Carmen
$258 20.3% $66
Eating Out
Vasto
$253
Playa del Carmen
$202 20.1% $51
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vasto
$251
Playa del Carmen
$137 45.4% $114
Clothing & Footwear
Vasto
$140
Playa del Carmen
$113 19.5% $27
Sport & Entertainment
Vasto
$75
Playa del Carmen
$73 3.3% $2.4
Getting Around
Vasto
$68
Playa del Carmen
$53 22.4% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $739 in Vasto versus $1,008 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 $67.0 in Vasto versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $324 vs $258 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇹 Vasto
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
19:17 7:17 PM
12:17 12:17 PM
7 h behind Vasto
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
41,087
149,923
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Vasto Playa del Carmen 9,400 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Vasto
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Vasto vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Vasto?
Yes – Vasto is pricier by about 39%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,524 per month in Vasto and $1,816 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Vasto and in Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,683 in Vasto and $1,210 in Playa del Carmen. That's a gap of about 39%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 68% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Vasto or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,210, than in Vasto at $1,683. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vasto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Vasto or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Vasto or Playa del Carmen?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Vasto makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Vasto vs other spots: cost of living compared

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