Cost of Living Comparison Between Vieux Fort and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Vieux Fort and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,051 per month in Vieux Fort vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,780 per month in Vieux Fort vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,509 per month in Vieux Fort vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Vieux Fort is about 16% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Vieux Fort and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Vieux Fort 21% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.63 EC$23.30

$11.99 MX$210

-28.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.0 EC$246

$41.78 MX$733

117.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.72 EC$20.85

$10.75 MX$189

-28.19%

Cappuccino

$2.64 EC$7.14

$3.50 MX$61.3

-24.57%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 EC$3.29

$0.88 MX$15.52

38.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 EC$5.13

$2.95 MX$51.7

-35.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 EC$7.05

$4.51 MX$79.1

-42.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 EC$3.34

$1.84 MX$32.23

-32.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 EC$6.56

$1.57 MX$27.51

54.78%

Eggs

$3.30 EC$8.91

$2.51 MX$44.06

31.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.36 EC$19.88

$8.28 MX$145

-11.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.44 EC$33.60

$8.43 MX$148

47.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.64 EC$58.4

$10.68 MX$187

102.62%

Apples (1kg)

$6.60 EC$17.82

$2.61 MX$45.76

152.87%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 EC$8.69

$1.44 MX$25.22

123.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.98 EC$13.45

$1.96 MX$34.41

154.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.97 EC$21.53

$2.09 MX$36.74

281.34%

Potato (1kg)

$6.39 EC$17.25

$1.85 MX$32.47

245.41%

Onion (1kg)

$3.23 EC$8.73

$2.17 MX$38.02

48.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.83 EC$4.93

$1.03 MX$18.09

77.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 EC$2.54

$1.07 MX$18.84

-12.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.53 EC$20.32

$4.10 MX$72.0

83.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.18 EC$8.59

$1.68 MX$29.38

89.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 EC$7.79

$2.53 MX$44.31

14.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 EC$4.10

$0.51 MX$8.93

198.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

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

$22.95 MX$403

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 EC$148

$52.0 MX$912

5.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.09 EC$100

$18.53 MX$325

100.16%

Cinema Ticket

$9.84 EC$26.57

$4.98 MX$87.3

97.59%

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

$197 MX$3,463

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 EC$150

$35.60 MX$624

56.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 EC$296

$78.8 MX$1,381

39.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.7 EC$194

$88.9 MX$1,560

-19.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$545 EC$1,472

$947 MX$16.6K

-42.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 EC$947

$474 MX$8,314

-26.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,091 EC$2,944

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-33.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$442 EC$1,194

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-63.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Vieux Fort: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $545 in Vieux Fort versus $947 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 $91.0 in Vieux Fort versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $363 vs $249 – 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,576 per month in Vieux Fort and $1,884 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 Vieux Fort, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 46% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Vieux Fort and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Vieux Fort, where all-in costs run around $1,051, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Vieux Fort it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Vieux Fort – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Vieux Fort. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.