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 $1,965 per month in Victoria vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,172 per month in Victoria vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,378 per month in Victoria vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Victoria costs about 55% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Victoria sits 46% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.84 SCR 229

$11.87 MX$204

33.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.95 SCR 649

$42.90 MX$736

4.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.44 SCR 136

$10.65 MX$183

-11.36%

Cappuccino

$4.86 SCR 70.2

$3.45 MX$59.2

40.87%

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

$2.76 SCR 39.88

$1.50 MX$25.81

84.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 SCR 38.21

$0.95 MX$16.28

178.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.89 SCR 56.1

$3.03 MX$51.9

28.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 SCR 65.9

$4.61 MX$79.1

-1.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 SCR 26.71

$1.38 MX$23.61

34.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 SCR 24.67

$1.85 MX$31.70

-7.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.86 SCR 41.26

$1.61 MX$27.65

77.64%

Eggs

$3.52 SCR 50.8

$2.59 MX$44.51

35.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$34.01 SCR 491

$8.26 MX$142

311.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.06 SCR 87.6

$8.37 MX$144

-27.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 SCR 173

$10.66 MX$183

12.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 SCR 32.77

$2.63 MX$45.12

-13.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 SCR 36.73

$1.49 MX$25.53

70.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 SCR 31.36

$1.92 MX$32.94

13.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.00 SCR 86.6

$2.09 MX$35.81

187.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 SCR 28.51

$1.86 MX$31.88

5.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 SCR 21.83

$2.26 MX$38.81

-33.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 SCR 19.94

$1.06 MX$18.23

30.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 SCR 21.68

$1.09 MX$18.67

37.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.77 SCR 314

$4.15 MX$71.2

424.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.55 SCR 152

$10.39 MX$178

1.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.35 SCR 62.8

$1.72 MX$29.59

152.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.64 SCR 96.0

$2.61 MX$44.85

154.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 SCR 11.71

$0.54 MX$9.30

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.11 SCR 363

$26.94 MX$462

-6.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.96 SCR 101

$3.13 MX$53.7

122.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 SCR 30.57

$2.51 MX$43.09

-15.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.82 SCR 301

$3.15 MX$54.1

560.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 SCR 21.01

$1.27 MX$21.88

14.17%

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

$26.0K SCR 375.2K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-14.47%

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

$34.1K SCR 492.1K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

44.59%

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

$135 SCR 1,956

$83.0 MX$1,425

63.20%

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

$40.87 SCR 590

$22.71 MX$390

79.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$150 SCR 2,160

$29.46 MX$506

407.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.7 SCR 1,324

$51.0 MX$875

79.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.31 SCR 221

$18.33 MX$315

-16.48%

Cinema Ticket

$5.20 SCR 75.1

$4.93 MX$84.5

5.48%

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

$158 SCR 2,275

$197 MX$3,386

-20.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,479 SCR 122.5K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

60.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.3 SCR 958

$36.90 MX$633

79.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.59 SCR 398

$39.89 MX$685

-30.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.3 SCR 1,015

$80.0 MX$1,373

-12.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 SCR 1,027

$89.5 MX$1,536

-20.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 SCR 13.5K

$956 MX$16.4K

-2.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$732 SCR 10.6K

$477 MX$8,189

53.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,986 SCR 28.7K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

20.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,809 SCR 26.1K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

47.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$481 SCR 6,942

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-87.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,276 SCR 18.4K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-80.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$975 SCR 14.1K

$667 MX$11.4K

46.13%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $933 in Victoria versus $956 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 46% 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 $45.00 in Victoria versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $250 – 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 55%, 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 $2,948 per month in Victoria and $1,906 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 $1,965 in Victoria and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 7% 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 $1,271, than in Victoria at $1,965. 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.