Which place is cheaper, Playa del Carmen or Rio de Janeiro?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Rio de Janeiro or Playa del Carmen?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Rio de Janeiro and Playa del Carmen can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Rio de Janeiro or Playa del Carmen?
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro is the most popular travel destination in Brazil. It is the second largest city in Brazil and the sixth largest in the Americas. A portion of the city has been designated a World Heritage Site. It's also famous for Carnival, it's gorgeous beaches, and world-famous landmarks. Rio's appeal as a travel destination is apparent year round due to the great weather and plenty of fun activities. The city has a wonderful natural harbor that is surrounded by Sugar Loaf Mountain, Corcovado Peak, and the hills of Tijuca, creating an absolutely breathtaking and awe-inspiring setting.
Playa del Carmen
Playa del Carmen is in Quintana Roo on the Yucatan Peninsula. It's a popular resort town and is about seventy kilometers south of Cancun. It has a European atmosphere with many small hotels and a nice relaxed feel. It was originally a small fishing town but tourism began with the introduction of a passenger ferry to Cozumel. The area developed rapidly and there are many luxury hotels, condos, and resorts. There are also American chains and a variety of shopping opportunities nearby.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Brazil, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Brazil, The Best 2-Week Tours in Mexico, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRio de Janeiro $105Playa del Carmen $81
The average daily cost (per person) in Rio de Janeiro is $105, while the average daily cost in Playa del Carmen is $81. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Rio de Janeiro and Playa del Carmen in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRio de Janeiro $66Playa del Carmen $40
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRio de Janeiro $132Playa del Carmen $80
Compare Hotels in Rio de Janeiro and Playa del Carmen
Looking for a hotel in Rio de Janeiro or Playa del Carmen? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Rio de Janeiro Hotel Prices and Playa del Carmen Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Rio de Janeiro $7.97Playa del Carmen $24
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Rio de Janeiro
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Rio de Janeiro:
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Taxi Ride$2.93
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rio de Janeiro
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rio de Janeiro:
- 2025 Sambadrome Carnival Parade: Transfer Included Sector 5: $468
- 2025: Rio Carnival Parade at Sapucaí with Transfer Sector 7: $468
- A transfer with safety and comfort in Rio: $45
- Airport Private Transfer - Premium Service: $65
- All Private Transfer from Rio de Janeiro to Ilha Grande: $275
- All-You-Can-Eat Brazilian Churrascaria in Rio de Janeiro with Transfer: $80
- Angra dos Reis Private Transfer from Rio de Janeiro : $107
- Angra dos Reis Shared Transfer From Rio de Janeiro: $53
- Arraial do Cabo Private Transfer From Rio de Janeiro: $123
- Arraial do Cabo Shared Transfer From Rio de Janeiro: $54
- Arrival Private Transfer GIG or SDU Airport to Rio City by Minivan: $91
- Arrival Private Transfer from Rio Airports to Angra dos Reis by Sedan Car: $116
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Playa del Carmen
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Playa del Carmen:
- Cancun International Airport From/to Akumal - Private Transfer: $130
- Transfer in Private vehicle from Xcaret - Cancun Airport (CUN): $88
- 2x1 Tour: Isla Contoy, Isla Mujeres, Open Bar, Lunch and Transfers: $190
- Access to Xel-Há Park with Transfer: $145
- Airport Transfers to Playa del Carmen - Private van (ROUND TRIP) FLAT RATE: $227
- Akumal to Cancún Airport (CUN) - Departure Private Transfer: $40
- Akumal to Cancun - Private Transfer with Optional Sightseeing: $77
- Amazing ATV (single) Cenote and Ziplines with Transfer from Playa del Carmen: $80
- CUN Airport One-Way/Round-Trip Transfers to Playa del Carmen: $115
- Cancún Airport Transfer to Playa del Carmen One Way: $118
- Cancun Airport Private Transfer One Way: To or From Akumal area Up to 03 Pass.: $105
- Cancun Airport Round Trip transfer to Puerto Aventuras: $190
Is it cheaper to fly into Rio de Janeiro or Playa del Carmen?
Prices for flights to both Playa del Carmen and Rio de Janeiro change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayRio de Janeiro $20Playa del Carmen $24
Typical Food Prices in Rio de Janeiro
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Rio de Janeiro:
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Popcorn$0.59
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Corn on the Cob$0.78
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Hamburger$0.98
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rio de Janeiro
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Rio de Janeiro.
- Waterfront Dinner & Live Music Experience: $46
- Barra da Tijuca Food Tour with Drinks: $72
- THE BEST FOOD TOUR: $79
- Feijoada Food Tour in Rio de Janeiro with Hotel pick-up and drop-off: $80
- Rio Bar Food Tour with a Local: $82
- Dinner & Rio Scenarium Nightclub Admission with Transfer: $85
- 9-Recipe Boozy Brazilian Cooking Class: $85
- Food Tour Rio de Janeiro - The Best Typical Brazilian Dishes: $92
- Rio Scenarium Entrance, Dinner, and Open Bar: $105
- Rio Scenarium: Fast Track Entrance, Dinner & Open Bar: $115
- Brazilian Cooking Class: $129
- Rio: Ginga Tropical Folkloric Show & Optional Dinner: $142
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Playa del Carmen
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Playa del Carmen.
- Cenotes by Bike and Mayan Cooking Class Half-Day Guided Tour: $60
- Walking Food Tour: $65
- Playa Del Carmen Authentic Downtown Food Tour: Tacos and Local Flavors: $75
- Playa del Carmen Walking Food Tour: $77
- Mexican Cooking Class: $100
- Seafood Tour in Playa del Carmen: $101
- PDC Traditional Mexican Cooking Experience: $104
- Authentic Mexican Cooking Class in Playa del Carmen: $120
- Isa’s Authentic Mexican Cooking Class: $120
- Cultural Coba Sunset Adventure with Dinner and show from Cancun: $130
- Sunset Adventure in Coba and Dinner with Show from Riviera Maya: $155
- Riviera Maya: Sunset Cruise with Beach Dinner and Open Bar: $157
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Rio de Janeiro $22Playa del Carmen $17
Tours and Activities in Rio de Janeiro
Here are a few actual costs in Rio de Janeiro for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - Santa Teresa: the staircase: $6.99
- Rio de Janeiro (Urca) Scavenger Hunt and Self-Guided Tour: $7.65
- Rio de Janeiro (Ipanema & Copacabana) Self-Guided Tour: $7.65
- Rio de Janeiro(Ipanema-Copacabana)Scavenger Hunt Self-Guided Tour: $7.83
- Salvador Sights Self Guided Tour (Pelourinho): $7.83
- Rio de Janeiro (Urca) Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.84
- Rio de Janeiro Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- Hiking Experience to Pedra do Telégrafo: $9.97
- A Self-Guided Black History Audio Tour of Rio de Janeiro’s Little Africa: $9.99
- Self-Guided Audio Tour-Story of Bossanova: Rhythm and soul of Rio: $10
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - Imperial Rio: $10
- Ticket to the match at maracanã of Flamengo: $10
Tours and Activities in Playa del Carmen
Here are a few actual costs in Playa del Carmen for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Shopping Tour & Tulum Mayan Ruins: $11
- Cancun Airport: Bus Ticket to/from Playa del Carmen: $14
- Tulum Ruins: Self-Guided Tour with Audio Narration & Map: $15
- Ek Balam: Self-Guided Tour with Audio Narration & Map: $15
- Riviera Maya: Frida Kahlo Museum Guided Tour 2024: $20
- YAL-KÚ Park in Riviera Maya Admission Ticket: $23
- Chichen Itza and Cenote Full Day Tour from Playa del Carmen: $28
- Ultramar Ferry, Regular round ticket, Playa del Carmen-Cozumel: $32
- Tulum and 2 Cenotes Half Day Tour from Riviera: $34
- Round-Trip Ferry Ticket to/from Cozumel: $35
- Mayan tour 4x1: Tulum, Cobá, Cenote & Playa del carmen: $35
- Tulum Ruins and Amusement Park Shared Tour: $37
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRio de Janeiro $12Playa del Carmen $21
Sample the Local Flavors in Rio de Janeiro
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Rio de Janeiro:
- Rio: Pub Crawl in Lapa with Cachaça Tasting and Live Samba: $28
- Pub Crawl in Lapa: $29
- Rio de Janeiro Pub Crawl (Lapa district): $35
- Walking tour + Pub crawl + Samba in Lapa: $64
- Petropolis City Tour + Bohemia Brewery + Lunch: $77
- Petrópolis City and Brewery Bohemia Tour - Best of Rio's Mountains: $110
- Brazilian Wine Tasting Evening: $110
- Rio: Sitio Burle Marx and Cachaça Distillery Private Tour: $131
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Rio de Janeiro and Playa del Carmen, we can see that Rio de Janeiro is more expensive. And not only is Playa del Carmen much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Rio de Janeiro is in South America and Playa del Carmen is in North America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Playa del Carmen would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Playa del Carmen and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Rio de Janeiro would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Rio de Janeiro than you might in Playa del Carmen.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Rio de Janeiro Expensive? and Is Playa del Carmen Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Rio de Janeiro or Playa del Carmen?
Rio de Janeiro has a larger population, and is about 110 times larger than the population of Playa del Carmen. When comparing the sizes of Rio de Janeiro and Playa del Carmen, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
When is the best time to visit Rio de Janeiro or Playa del Carmen?
Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. Rio de Janeiro is in the southern hemisphere and summer is in January and winter is in July, but Playa del Carmen has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Rio de Janeiro or Playa del Carmen in the Summer?
Both Playa del Carmen and Rio de Janeiro are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. Also, many visitors come to Playa del Carmen in the summer for the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences.
Rio de Janeiro is around the same temperature as Playa del Carmen in the summer. The daily temperature in Rio de Janeiro averages around 26°C (79°F) in January, and Playa del Carmen fluctuates around 28°C (82°F)in July.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Playa del Carmen. It's quite rainy in Rio de Janeiro. In January, Rio de Janeiro usually receives less rain than Playa del Carmenin July. Rio de Janeiro gets 114 mm (4.5 in) of rain, while Playa del Carmen receives 156 mm (6.1 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyRio de Janeiro 26°C (79°F)Playa del Carmen 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Rio de Janeiro or Playa del Carmen in the Autumn?
Both Playa del Carmen and Rio de Janeiro during the autumn are popular places to visit. Also, most visitors come to Playa del Carmen for the hiking trails, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area during these months.
In the autumn, Rio de Janeiro is around the same temperature as Playa del Carmen. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Rio de Janeiro in April average around 25°C (77°F), and Playa del Carmen averages at about 26°C (79°F)in October.
Playa del Carmen gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro usually gets more rain in April than Playa del Carmenin October. Rio de Janeiro gets 137 mm (5.4 in) of rain, while Playa del Carmen receives 114 mm (4.5 in) of rain this time of the year. Also, the hurricane season in Playa del Carmen is June to October.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberRio de Janeiro 25°C (77°F)Playa del Carmen 26°C (79°F)
Should I visit Rio de Janeiro or Playa del Carmen in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Rio de Janeiro and Playa del Carmen. Also, the winter months attract visitors to Playa del Carmen because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
In July, Rio de Janeiro is generally around the same temperature as Playa del Carmenin January. Daily temperatures in Rio de Janeiro average around 21°C (70°F), and Playa del Carmen fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).
In July, Rio de Janeiro usually receives more rain than Playa del Carmenin January. Rio de Janeiro gets 56 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Playa del Carmen receives 17 mm (0.7 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryRio de Janeiro 21°C (70°F)Playa del Carmen 23°C (73°F)
Should I visit Rio de Janeiro or Playa del Carmen in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Rio de Janeiro as well as Playa del Carmen. Also, the beaches and the natural beauty are the main draw to Playa del Carmen this time of year.
Rio de Janeiro is cooler than Playa del Carmen in the spring. The daily temperature in Rio de Janeiro averages around 23°C (73°F) in October, and Playa del Carmen fluctuates around 27°C (81°F)in April.
Rio de Janeiro usually gets more rain in October than Playa del Carmenin April. Rio de Janeiro gets 88 mm (3.5 in) of rain, while Playa del Carmen receives 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain this time of the year. Keep in mind that June to October is the hurricane season in Playa del Carmen.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilRio de Janeiro 23°C (73°F)Playa del Carmen 27°C (81°F)
Typical Weather for Playa del Carmen and Rio de Janeiro
| Rio de Janeiro | Playa del Carmen | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (79°F) | 114 mm (4.5 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 17 mm (0.7 in) |
| Feb | 27°C (81°F) | 105 mm (4.1 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 15 mm (0.6 in) |
| Mar | 26°C (79°F) | 103 mm (4.1 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) |
| Apr | 25°C (77°F) | 137 mm (5.4 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
| May | 23°C (73°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Jun | 22°C (72°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 173 mm (6.8 in) |
| Jul | 21°C (70°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 156 mm (6.1 in) |
| Aug | 22°C (72°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) |
| Sep | 22°C (72°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 173 mm (6.8 in) |
| Oct | 23°C (73°F) | 88 mm (3.5 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 114 mm (4.5 in) |
| Nov | 24°C (75°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 29 mm (1.1 in) |
| Dec | 25°C (77°F) | 169 mm (6.7 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) |
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.