Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vienna and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,307 in Vienna, rent and utilities included – about $13,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Vienna, Austria
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Vienna
🇦🇹 Austria
$2,307
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Vienna 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 Vienna and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,307 per month in Vienna vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Vienna $2,307
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $3,489 per month in Vienna vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Vienna $3,489
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $4,671 per month in Vienna vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Vienna $4,671
  • Playa del Carmen $2,959

Vienna costs about 92% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Vienna sits 70% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Vienna
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.35 €17.33
$10.92 MX$205
77.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$88.6 €79.4
$43.37 MX$814
104.33%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.48 €12.07
$11.78 MX$221
14.43%
Cappuccino
$5.32 €4.76
$3.81 MX$71.5
39.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73 €3.34
$1.28 MX$24.07
191.41%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.16 €2.83
$0.78 MX$14.70
305.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.02 €5.39
$3.17 MX$59.5
89.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.62 €5.04
$4.93 MX$92.7
14.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Vienna
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.63 €1.46
$1.41 MX$26.40
15.60%
White Bread (500g)
$2.18 €1.95
$2.22 MX$41.62
-1.80%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.58 €2.31
$1.42 MX$26.61
81.69%
Eggs
$4.57 €4.09
$2.52 MX$47.36
81.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.69 €12.26
$7.26 MX$136
88.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.16 €12.68
$7.70 MX$144
83.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.63 €20.27
$12.69 MX$238
78.33%
Apples (1kg)
$2.97 €2.66
$2.78 MX$52.3
6.83%
Banana (1kg)
$2.21 €1.98
$1.37 MX$25.68
61.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.59 €3.21
$2.55 MX$47.89
40.78%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.22 €3.78
$2.12 MX$39.86
99.06%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 €1.78
$1.94 MX$36.39
2.58%
Onion (1kg)
$1.87 €1.67
$1.89 MX$35.41
-1.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.87 €1.68
$1.15 MX$21.53
62.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90 €0.81
$1.18 MX$22.13
-23.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.43 €6.66
$4.30 MX$80.6
72.79%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.43 €7.55
$9.95 MX$187
-15.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.53 €1.37
$1.58 MX$29.73
-3.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 €1.66
$2.67 MX$50.1
-30.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Vienna
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.50 €3.13
$0.55 MX$10.39
536.36%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.9 €51.0
$26.62 MX$500
113.75%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.47 €4.90
$4.97 MX$93.3
10.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.15 €1.92
$3.33 MX$62.5
-35.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$45.49 €40.74
$5.36 MX$101
748.69%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.97 €1.77
$1.44 MX$27.11
36.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.1K €27.0K
$20.7K MX$388.0K
45.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.1K €28.8K
$23.5K MX$440.5K
37.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vienna
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$321 €288
$84.8 MX$1,592
279.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.48 €12.97
$23.41 MX$439
-38.15%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.90 €28.57
$28.66 MX$538
11.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Vienna
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.15 €33.27
$57.1 MX$1,071
-34.88%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.06 €25.13
$28.91 MX$543
-2.94%
Cinema Ticket
$13.84 €12.39
$5.14 MX$96.5
169.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Vienna
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$397 €355
$207 MX$3,878
92.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$28.3K €25.4K
$3,927 MX$73.7K
620.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Vienna
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.3 €79.1
$43.35 MX$814
103.64%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.74 €34.70
$41.44 MX$778
-6.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.1 €83.4
$74.2 MX$1,393
25.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132 €118
$89.3 MX$1,676
48.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Vienna
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,359 €1,218
$980 MX$18.4K
38.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$935 €837
$381 MX$7,150
145.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,552 €2,285
$1,708 MX$32.1K
49.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,628 €1,458
$1,075 MX$20.2K
51.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$13.8K €12.3K
$3,943 MX$74.0K
249.61%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,925 €5,307
$6,158 MX$115.6K
-3.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Vienna
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,478 €3,115
$735 MX$13.8K
373.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.41
11.45
-70.22%

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

Last update for Vienna: October 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Vienna
$935
Playa del Carmen
$381 59.3% $554
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vienna
$368
Playa del Carmen
$137 62.8% $231
Groceries & Markets
Vienna
$366
Playa del Carmen
$255 30.4% $111
Eating Out
Vienna
$328
Playa del Carmen
$202 38.3% $126
Clothing & Footwear
Vienna
$159
Playa del Carmen
$112 29.5% $47
Getting Around
Vienna
$87
Playa del Carmen
$50 42.1% $37
Sport & Entertainment
Vienna
$65
Playa del Carmen
$67 3.8% $2.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,359 in Vienna versus $980 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 in Vienna are about 4.7 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Vienna versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $366 vs $255 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇹 Vienna
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
01:03 1:03 AM
19:03 7:03 PM
6 h behind Vienna
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,920,949 Capital
149,923
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Vienna Playa del Carmen 9,260 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Vienna
  • 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
Vienna vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Vienna?
Yes – Vienna is pricier by about 92%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,461 per month in Vienna and $1,806 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $980 there versus $1,359 in Vienna.
What are total monthly expenses in Vienna and in Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,307 in Vienna and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. That makes Playa del Carmen about 48% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 53% 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 Vienna or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Vienna at $2,307. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vienna it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Vienna 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 the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Vienna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Vienna vs other spots: cost of living compared

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