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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $955 per month in Acapulco vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,460 per month in Acapulco vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,965 per month in Acapulco vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Acapulco is about 26% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Acapulco and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Acapulco 29% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.78 MX$186

$11.73 MX$203

-8.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.02 MX$554

$41.62 MX$720

-23.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.34 MX$196

$10.64 MX$184

6.58%

Cappuccino

$3.76 MX$65.0

$3.52 MX$60.9

6.82%

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

$1.82 MX$31.49

$1.51 MX$26.12

20.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$26.69

$0.97 MX$16.84

58.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 MX$44.51

$2.95 MX$51.0

-12.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$81.9

$4.45 MX$77.0

6.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 MX$26.91

$1.38 MX$23.93

13.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 MX$55.1

$1.89 MX$32.72

68.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.82

$1.64 MX$28.32

-5.49%

Eggs

$1.74 MX$30.15

$2.51 MX$43.34

-30.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.24 MX$108

$8.34 MX$144

-25.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 MX$141

$8.34 MX$144

-2.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.78 MX$186

$10.73 MX$186

0.47%

Apples (1kg)

$4.53 MX$78.4

$2.60 MX$45.04

74.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MX$29.07

$1.46 MX$25.20

15.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 MX$55.2

$1.90 MX$32.87

67.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.12 MX$53.9

$2.08 MX$35.91

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.44 MX$59.4

$1.78 MX$30.71

93.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 MX$49.68

$2.19 MX$37.80

31.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 MX$21.67

$1.04 MX$17.99

20.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 MX$13.42

$1.08 MX$18.62

-27.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.82 MX$135

$4.08 MX$70.6

91.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.04 MX$122

$10.32 MX$178

-31.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.71 MX$29.61

-39.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 MX$45.37

$2.58 MX$44.54

1.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MX$12.67

$0.51 MX$8.81

43.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.27 MX$73.8

$3.26 MX$56.4

30.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 MX$26.68

$2.49 MX$43.09

-38.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 MX$145

$3.25 MX$56.2

157.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.73

$1.31 MX$22.61

-3.82%

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

$21.0K MX$362.7K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-30.76%

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

$22.1K MX$382.6K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-5.60%

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

$38.89 MX$673

$82.9 MX$1,433

-53.07%

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

$22.51 MX$389

$22.22 MX$384

1.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.88 MX$361

$29.34 MX$507

-28.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.76 MX$324

$51.6 MX$893

-63.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.24 MX$229

$18.32 MX$317

-27.73%

Cinema Ticket

$3.62 MX$62.7

$5.07 MX$87.6

-28.60%

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

$156 MX$2,706

$201 MX$3,473

-22.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,565 MX$61.7K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-31.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 MX$1,105

$36.92 MX$639

73.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.96 MX$726

$39.79 MX$688

5.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 MX$1,826

$78.5 MX$1,357

34.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.3 MX$1,390

$87.1 MX$1,506

-7.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 MX$8,748

$973 MX$16.8K

-48.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$243 MX$4,208

$468 MX$8,090

-47.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 MX$15.9K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-44.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 MX$4,302

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-79.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$486 MX$8,412

$664 MX$11.5K

-26.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

11.42

0.70%

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

Last update for Acapulco: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $506 in Acapulco 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.

Salaries run about 37% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Acapulco versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $268 in Acapulco vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 36% more than Acapulco, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,433 per month in Acapulco and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Acapulco, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $955 in Acapulco and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $156 per month in Acapulco and $201 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 Acapulco, where all-in costs run around $955, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Acapulco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Acapulco costs $955 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Acapulco. 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.