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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,978 per month in Victoria vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,130 per month in Victoria vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,283 per month in Victoria vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Victoria costs about 54% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Victoria sits 48% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.73 SCR 231

$11.94 MX$208

31.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.24 SCR 649

$42.75 MX$744

3.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 SCR 131

$10.59 MX$184

-15.58%

Cappuccino

$4.98 SCR 73.0

$3.62 MX$63.0

37.57%

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

$2.66 SCR 39.00

$1.47 MX$25.54

80.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 SCR 40.03

$0.94 MX$16.41

190.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.92 SCR 57.4

$3.09 MX$53.8

26.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 SCR 67.7

$4.46 MX$77.6

3.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 SCR 26.25

$1.43 MX$24.80

25.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 SCR 26.25

$1.88 MX$32.79

-4.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.75 SCR 40.29

$1.63 MX$28.34

68.71%

Eggs

$3.65 SCR 53.6

$2.64 MX$45.99

38.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$33.94 SCR 498

$8.21 MX$143

313.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.99 SCR 87.9

$8.29 MX$144

-27.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.64 SCR 171

$11.10 MX$193

4.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 SCR 33.73

$2.65 MX$46.14

-13.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 SCR 39.11

$1.50 MX$26.11

78.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 SCR 31.26

$1.99 MX$34.59

7.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.26 SCR 91.9

$2.08 MX$36.13

200.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 SCR 30.17

$1.79 MX$31.11

15.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 SCR 21.67

$2.18 MX$37.87

-32.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 SCR 19.29

$1.08 MX$18.73

21.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 SCR 21.83

$1.04 MX$18.04

43.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.64 SCR 317

$3.97 MX$69.1

445.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.07 SCR 148

$10.20 MX$178

-1.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.43 SCR 65.0

$1.73 MX$30.04

156.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 SCR 98.5

$2.50 MX$43.46

168.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 SCR 12.33

$0.52 MX$9.02

61.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.64 SCR 362

$26.97 MX$469

-8.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.86 SCR 101

$3.14 MX$54.7

118.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 SCR 31.24

$2.40 MX$41.80

-11.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.97 SCR 308

$3.09 MX$53.7

578.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 SCR 20.54

$1.27 MX$22.16

10.24%

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

$26.3K SCR 385.4K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-14.94%

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

$34.8K SCR 509.8K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

49.06%

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

$135 SCR 1,974

$82.0 MX$1,427

64.08%

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

$40.70 SCR 597

$22.45 MX$391

81.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$155 SCR 2,276

$29.66 MX$516

423.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.2 SCR 1,353

$51.9 MX$903

77.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.39 SCR 226

$18.67 MX$325

-17.57%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 SCR 74.4

$4.97 MX$86.5

2.01%

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

$154 SCR 2,263

$198 MX$3,442

-22.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,288 SCR 121.6K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

57.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 SCR 968

$36.34 MX$632

81.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.17 SCR 399

$40.05 MX$697

-32.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.5 SCR 1,034

$79.9 MX$1,390

-11.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.7 SCR 1,067

$88.9 MX$1,547

-18.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$936 SCR 13.7K

$963 MX$16.8K

-2.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$738 SCR 10.8K

$465 MX$8,086

58.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,010 SCR 29.5K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

25.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,789 SCR 26.2K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

47.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$465 SCR 6,820

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-88.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,208 SCR 17.7K

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-81.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$904 SCR 13.3K

$720 MX$12.5K

25.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.5

11.42

44.48%

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

Last update for Victoria: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $936 in Victoria 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 25% higher in Victoria, 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 $44.00 in Victoria versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $251 – making Playa del Carmen 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

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

Yes – Victoria is pricier by about 54%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,966 per month in Victoria 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 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 $1,978 in Victoria 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 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 $1,287, than in Victoria at $1,978. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Victoria 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, Victoria makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.