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 $586 per month in Villanueva vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $958 per month in Villanueva vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,330 per month in Villanueva vs $2,980 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 56% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 HNL 158

$11.87 MX$207

-50.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.96 HNL 985

$42.90 MX$749

-13.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.45 HNL 199

$10.65 MX$186

-30.05%

Cappuccino

$2.33 HNL 62.1

$3.45 MX$60.2

-32.46%

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

$1.03 HNL 27.42

$1.50 MX$26.27

-31.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 HNL 29.87

$0.95 MX$16.57

17.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 HNL 31.16

$3.03 MX$52.9

-61.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 HNL 70.1

$4.61 MX$80.5

-42.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 HNL 36.81

$1.38 MX$24.03

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 HNL 55.0

$1.85 MX$32.27

11.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 HNL 32.38

$1.61 MX$28.14

-24.84%

Eggs

$2.12 HNL 56.6

$2.59 MX$45.30

-18.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.19 HNL 165

$8.26 MX$144

-25.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 HNL 98.2

$8.37 MX$146

-56.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.05 HNL 214

$10.66 MX$186

-24.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 HNL 79.7

$2.63 MX$45.93

13.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 HNL 40.42

$1.49 MX$25.99

2.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 HNL 39.76

$1.92 MX$33.53

-22.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 HNL 42.18

$2.09 MX$36.44

-24.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 HNL 42.80

$1.86 MX$32.44

-13.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 HNL 35.72

$2.26 MX$39.50

-40.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 HNL 23.93

$1.06 MX$18.56

-15.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 HNL 45.75

$1.09 MX$19.00

57.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 HNL 65.3

$4.15 MX$72.5

-40.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$182

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 HNL 34.25

$1.72 MX$30.12

-25.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 HNL 49.47

$2.61 MX$45.64

-28.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$471

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.32 HNL 115

$3.13 MX$54.6

38.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.85

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$55.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 HNL 28.42

$1.27 MX$22.27

-15.75%

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

$19.4K HNL 516.3K

$30.4K MX$530.6K

-36.22%

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

$19.0K HNL 507.5K

$23.6K MX$411.7K

-19.21%

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

$80.9 HNL 2,157

$83.0 MX$1,450

-2.48%

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

$8.82 HNL 235

$22.71 MX$397

-61.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.50 HNL 1,080

$29.46 MX$515

37.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$891

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$5.60 HNL 149

$4.93 MX$86.0

13.59%

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

$253 HNL 6,757

$197 MX$3,447

28.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.33 HNL 1,208

$36.90 MX$645

22.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.17 HNL 937

$39.89 MX$697

-11.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 HNL 2,935

$80.0 MX$1,398

37.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 HNL 2,744

$89.5 MX$1,563

15.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,334

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.7K

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Villanueva versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $189 vs $250 – 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 117%, 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 $880 per month in Villanueva and $1,906 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 $586 in Villanueva and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $253 per month in Villanueva and $197 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 $586, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.