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 $1,325 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,142 per month in Victoria vs $2,355 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,305 per month in Victoria vs $3,384 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Victoria costs about 49% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Victoria sits 46% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.72 SCR 255

$12.87 MX$219

37.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.6 SCR 729

$47.29 MX$805

6.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 SCR 175

$12.79 MX$218

-5.24%

Cappuccino

$4.02 SCR 57.9

$3.96 MX$67.4

1.52%

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

$2.29 SCR 32.95

$1.43 MX$24.31

60.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 SCR 38.15

$0.83 MX$14.06

219.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.87 SCR 55.9

$3.03 MX$51.6

27.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 SCR 53.0

$6.96 MX$118

-47.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 SCR 27.77

$1.69 MX$28.80

14.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 SCR 24.59

$2.13 MX$36.26

-19.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.55 SCR 36.78

$1.69 MX$28.73

50.89%

Eggs

$3.83 SCR 55.2

$2.76 MX$46.95

38.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.24 SCR 450

$9.19 MX$156

239.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 SCR 89.1

$9.03 MX$154

-31.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.08 SCR 174

$12.39 MX$211

-2.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 SCR 31.72

$3.09 MX$52.6

-28.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.71 SCR 39.02

$1.55 MX$26.31

74.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 SCR 33.93

$2.14 MX$36.49

9.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.05 SCR 87.2

$2.20 MX$37.50

175.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.88 SCR 27.04

$2.05 MX$34.91

-8.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 SCR 26.66

$2.03 MX$34.58

-8.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 SCR 21.33

$1.22 MX$20.79

21.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 SCR 18.59

$1.14 MX$19.36

13.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.85 SCR 329

$4.62 MX$78.6

394.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.21 SCR 147

$10.60 MX$180

-3.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.28 SCR 61.7

$1.64 MX$27.90

160.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 SCR 78.4

$2.94 MX$49.98

85.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 SCR 9.84

$0.61 MX$10.30

11.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.08 SCR 477

$29.50 MX$502

12.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.31 MX$90.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$63.4

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.79 MX$98.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 SCR 22.20

$1.58 MX$26.82

-2.53%

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

$26.2K SCR 377.3K

$22.4K MX$381.7K

16.70%

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

$32.3K SCR 465.2K

$25.4K MX$432.3K

27.05%

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

$136 SCR 1,958

$90.7 MX$1,543

49.84%

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

$42.10 SCR 607

$23.03 MX$392

82.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$135 SCR 1,949

$31.71 MX$540

326.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.3 SCR 1,114

$67.1 MX$1,142

15.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.80 SCR 112

$29.14 MX$496

-73.23%

Cinema Ticket

$7.20 SCR 104

$5.05 MX$86.0

42.57%

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

$139 SCR 2,009

$222 MX$3,770

-37.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,559 SCR 123.4K

$4,223 MX$71.9K

102.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.17 SCR 536

$45.56 MX$775

-18.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.28 SCR 350

$44.06 MX$750

-44.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 SCR 1,274

$96.3 MX$1,639

-8.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 SCR 1,458

$93.3 MX$1,587

8.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$928 SCR 13.4K

$1,074 MX$18.3K

-13.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$808 SCR 11.7K

$402 MX$6,845

101.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,212 SCR 31.9K

$1,908 MX$32.5K

15.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,744 SCR 25.1K

$1,259 MX$21.4K

38.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$432 SCR 6,221

$4,093 MX$69.7K

-89.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,107 SCR 16.0K

$6,594 MX$112.2K

-83.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$924 SCR 13.3K

$753 MX$12.8K

22.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

3.45%

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

Last update for Victoria: August 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $928 in Victoria versus $1,074 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 23% 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 $51.0 in Victoria versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $373 vs $274 – 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 49%, 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 $1,988 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 $1,325 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 12% 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 $1,325, 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.