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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $962 in Abaza versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,471 in Abaza versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,979 in Abaza versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Abaza costs roughly 25% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Abaza 28% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.41 ₽707

$11.94 MX$208

-21.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.29 ₽2,876

$42.75 MX$744

-10.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ₽427

$10.59 MX$184

-46.27%

Cappuccino

$2.35 ₽177

$3.62 MX$63.0

-35.08%

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

$1.08 ₽80.8

$1.47 MX$25.54

-26.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₽39.26

$0.94 MX$16.41

-44.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.38 ₽103

$3.09 MX$53.8

-55.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 ₽196

$4.46 MX$77.6

-41.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.55 ₽41.44

$1.43 MX$24.80

-61.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 ₽50.0

$1.88 MX$32.79

-64.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ₽107

$1.63 MX$28.34

-12.88%

Eggs

$1.77 ₽133

$2.64 MX$45.99

-32.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 ₽824

$8.21 MX$143

33.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 ₽371

$8.29 MX$144

-40.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 ₽649

$11.10 MX$193

-22.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 ₽134

$2.65 MX$46.14

-32.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 ₽142

$1.50 MX$26.11

25.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ₽150

$1.99 MX$34.59

0.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.71 ₽204

$2.08 MX$36.13

30.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 ₽59.4

$1.79 MX$31.11

-55.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 ₽53.7

$2.18 MX$37.87

-67.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 ₽101

$1.08 MX$18.73

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₽50.6

$1.04 MX$18.04

-35.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 ₽217

$3.97 MX$69.1

-27.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.58 ₽644

$10.20 MX$178

-15.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ₽70.4

$1.73 MX$30.04

-45.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₽144

$2.50 MX$43.46

-23.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 ₽37.47

$0.52 MX$9.02

-3.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 ₽145

$3.14 MX$54.7

-38.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ₽24.37

$2.40 MX$41.80

-86.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.40 ₽481

$3.09 MX$53.7

107.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 ₽55.0

$1.27 MX$22.16

-42.52%

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

$33.6K ₽2.5M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

8.83%

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

$35.8K ₽2.7M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

53.61%

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

$110 ₽8,249

$82.0 MX$1,427

33.87%

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

$5.89 ₽442

$22.45 MX$391

-73.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.77 ₽584

$29.66 MX$516

-73.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.02 ₽2,706

$51.9 MX$903

-30.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$5.21 ₽392

$4.97 MX$86.5

4.83%

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

$318 ₽23.9K

$198 MX$3,442

61.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,054 ₽529.9K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

33.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.6 ₽5,230

$36.34 MX$632

91.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.22 ₽3,397

$40.05 MX$697

12.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ₽8,452

$79.9 MX$1,390

40.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₽8,039

$88.9 MX$1,547

20.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 ₽33.2K

$963 MX$16.8K

-54.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 ₽22.5K

$465 MX$8,086

-35.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$760 ₽57.1K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-52.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ₽37.6K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-58.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,162 ₽162.4K

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-45.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ₽110.8K

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-77.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,297 ₽97.5K

$720 MX$12.5K

80.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.33

11.42

34.24%

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

Last update for Abaza: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $441 in Abaza and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Abaza pays 80% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in Abaza vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $251 per month, with Abaza cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Abaza is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Abaza pays 80% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $441 in Abaza versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $318 in Abaza versus $198 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Abaza – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $962 in Abaza versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Abaza but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Abaza the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Abaza is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Abaza gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.