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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $460 per month in Abnub vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $748 per month in Abnub vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,036 per month in Abnub vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Abnub is about 64% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Abnub and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Abnub 66% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Abnub
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.46 E£179
$11.73 MX$203
-70.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$15.54 E£804
$41.62 MX$719
-62.66%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.60 E£238
$10.64 MX$184
-56.77%
Cappuccino
$1.44 E£74.6
$3.52 MX$60.8
-59.09%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 E£16.28
$1.51 MX$26.09
-79.47%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.12 E£6.40
$0.97 MX$16.82
-87.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.17 E£60.7
$2.95 MX$51.0
-60.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 E£157
$4.45 MX$77.0
-31.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Abnub
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.85 E£44.13
$1.38 MX$23.90
-38.41%
White Bread (500g)
$0.57 E£29.61
$1.89 MX$32.69
-69.84%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.71 E£36.76
$1.64 MX$28.29
-56.71%
Eggs
$1.38 E£71.3
$2.51 MX$43.30
-45.02%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.44 E£178
$8.34 MX$144
-58.75%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.38 E£227
$8.34 MX$144
-47.48%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.83 E£457
$10.73 MX$185
-17.71%
Apples (1kg)
$1.43 E£74.0
$2.60 MX$45.00
-45.00%
Banana (1kg)
$0.54 E£27.86
$1.46 MX$25.18
-63.01%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.39 E£20.30
$1.90 MX$32.84
-79.47%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.40 E£20.58
$2.08 MX$35.88
-80.77%
Potato (1kg)
$0.40 E£20.79
$1.78 MX$30.68
-77.53%
Onion (1kg)
$0.41 E£20.97
$2.19 MX$37.76
-81.28%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.22 E£11.33
$1.04 MX$17.97
-78.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.22 E£11.13
$1.08 MX$18.60
-79.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.93 E£100
$4.08 MX$70.5
-52.70%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.98 E£361
$10.32 MX$178
-32.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.34 E£69.4
$1.71 MX$29.59
-21.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.88 E£97.4
$2.58 MX$44.50
-27.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Abnub
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.17 E£8.93
$0.51 MX$8.81
-66.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$26.46 MX$457
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.38 E£19.76
$3.26 MX$56.4
-88.34%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.31 E£16.23
$2.49 MX$43.05
-87.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.93 E£99.9
$3.25 MX$56.1
-40.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.33 E£17.21
$1.31 MX$22.59
-74.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.5K E£1.8M
$30.3K MX$523.2K
17.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K E£1.7M
$23.4K MX$404.9K
42.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Abnub
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$11.99 E£621
$82.9 MX$1,432
-85.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.26 E£324
$22.22 MX$384
-71.83%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$10.74 E£556
$29.34 MX$507
-63.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Abnub
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$22.14 E£1,146
$51.6 MX$892
-57.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.32 MX$317
-
Cinema Ticket
$2.87 E£149
$5.07 MX$87.5
-43.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Abnub
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$90.2 E£4,669
$201 MX$3,470
-55.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,819 E£94.1K
$5,212 MX$90.1K
-65.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Abnub
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$27.24 E£1,410
$36.92 MX$638
-26.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.12 E£2,543
$39.79 MX$688
23.45%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 E£5,526
$78.5 MX$1,356
36.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$49.91 E£2,584
$87.1 MX$1,505
-42.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Abnub
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$192 E£9,961
$973 MX$16.8K
-80.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$98.4 E£5,093
$468 MX$8,082
-78.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$315 E£16.3K
$1,641 MX$28.4K
-80.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$181 E£9,350
$1,221 MX$21.1K
-85.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$849 E£43.9K
$3,946 MX$68.2K
-78.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$438 E£22.7K
$6,498 MX$112.3K
-93.26%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Abnub
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$664 MX$11.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
16.67
11.42
45.97%

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

Last update for Abnub: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $192 in Abnub versus $973 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 $16.00 in Abnub versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $125 vs $249 – making Abnub 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
Abnub vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Abnub?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 182%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $691 per month in Abnub and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Abnub, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Abnub or Playa del Carmen?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $16.00 in Abnub and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Abnub and Playa del Carmen?
Groceries cost about 99% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Abnub or Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Abnub, where all-in costs run around $460, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Abnub it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Abnub or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Abnub – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Abnub. 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.

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