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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $577 per month in Villanueva vs $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $948 per month in Villanueva vs $2,177 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,318 per month in Villanueva vs $3,095 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Villanueva is about 54% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Villanueva and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Villanueva 57% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.70 HNL 153

$11.95 MX$209

-52.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.88 HNL 986

$41.94 MX$734

-12.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.90 HNL 211

$10.42 MX$182

-24.18%

Cappuccino

$2.27 HNL 60.8

$3.51 MX$61.5

-35.33%

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

$0.94 HNL 25.11

$1.52 MX$26.56

-38.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 HNL 31.61

$0.91 MX$15.95

29.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.12 HNL 29.92

$3.04 MX$53.2

-63.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 HNL 70.7

$4.37 MX$76.5

-39.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 HNL 37.25

$1.42 MX$24.89

-2.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 HNL 54.9

$1.83 MX$32.07

12.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 HNL 34.42

$1.63 MX$28.63

-20.86%

Eggs

$2.03 HNL 54.2

$2.54 MX$44.48

-20.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.98 HNL 160

$8.57 MX$150

-30.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.69 HNL 98.6

$8.49 MX$149

-56.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.00 HNL 214

$10.80 MX$189

-25.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 HNL 76.9

$2.75 MX$48.25

4.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 HNL 39.12

$1.44 MX$25.16

1.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 HNL 38.52

$1.89 MX$33.04

-23.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 HNL 40.44

$2.17 MX$38.01

-30.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 HNL 42.37

$1.78 MX$31.17

-11.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 HNL 37.96

$2.22 MX$38.96

-36.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 HNL 22.65

$1.07 MX$18.72

-20.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 HNL 46.00

$1.08 MX$18.91

59.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.47 HNL 66.0

$4.15 MX$72.6

-40.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$183

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 HNL 34.34

$1.74 MX$30.53

-26.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 HNL 48.22

$2.58 MX$45.21

-30.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.99

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$454

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.15 HNL 111

$3.21 MX$56.2

29.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.83

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 HNL 27.34

$1.26 MX$22.01

-19.05%

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

$19.4K HNL 519.2K

$29.7K MX$520.0K

-34.61%

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

$19.2K HNL 514.6K

$23.7K MX$414.8K

-18.76%

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

$81.8 HNL 2,187

$82.0 MX$1,437

-0.28%

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

$9.06 HNL 242

$22.73 MX$398

-60.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.00 HNL 1,096

$29.42 MX$515

39.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$914

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$5.75 HNL 154

$4.93 MX$86.4

16.63%

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

$254 HNL 6,788

$202 MX$3,534

25.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$91.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 HNL 1,236

$35.93 MX$629

28.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.41 HNL 974

$40.33 MX$706

-9.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 HNL 2,878

$79.9 MX$1,399

34.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 HNL 2,780

$89.3 MX$1,564

16.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,150

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.08%

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

Last update for Villanueva: July 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Villanueva versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $186 vs $252 – making Villanueva 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 118%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $866 per month in Villanueva and $1,888 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $577 in Villanueva and $1,259 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $254 per month in Villanueva and $202 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Villanueva, where all-in costs run around $577, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,259. In Villanueva it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Villanueva – 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 Villanueva. 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.