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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,679 in Acosta versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,704 in Acosta versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,730 in Acosta versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Acosta is roughly 29% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Acosta is 22% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.39 ₡5,546

$11.96 MX$203

3.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.0 ₡25.5K

$47.38 MX$804

20.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 ₡5,106

$11.75 MX$199

-2.89%

Cappuccino

$4.24 ₡1,898

$4.12 MX$70.0

2.91%

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

$2.55 ₡1,142

$1.40 MX$23.74

82.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₡853

$0.91 MX$15.48

109.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 ₡1,509

$3.21 MX$54.4

4.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.42 ₡1,977

$7.07 MX$120

-37.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 ₡1,094

$1.68 MX$28.44

45.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 ₡1,273

$2.15 MX$36.48

32.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 ₡1,147

$1.77 MX$30.10

44.63%

Eggs

$3.54 ₡1,583

$2.82 MX$47.76

25.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.76 ₡4,815

$9.20 MX$156

16.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.61 ₡4,747

$9.23 MX$157

14.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.41 ₡6,448

$12.64 MX$214

14.00%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ₡2,342

$2.95 MX$50.1

77.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ₡750

$1.58 MX$26.79

6.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 ₡1,499

$2.22 MX$37.70

50.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.43 ₡1,537

$2.36 MX$40.09

45.34%

Potato (1kg)

$3.18 ₡1,424

$1.99 MX$33.81

59.80%

Onion (1kg)

$3.12 ₡1,397

$1.98 MX$33.58

57.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₡508

$1.24 MX$21.04

-8.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 ₡1,227

$1.21 MX$20.55

126.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.88 ₡2,633

$4.60 MX$78.1

27.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.76 ₡7,499

$10.52 MX$178

59.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,192

$1.69 MX$28.70

57.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 ₡1,174

$2.77 MX$47.06

-5.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.38 ₡616

$0.60 MX$10.22

130.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ₡1,074

$5.24 MX$88.8

-54.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 ₡705

$3.65 MX$61.9

-56.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.77 ₡3,924

$5.78 MX$98.1

51.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 ₡690

$1.54 MX$26.09

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

$22.3K ₡10.0M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

-2.27%

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

$34.7K ₡15.5M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

34.51%

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

$94.9 ₡42.5K

$90.7 MX$1,538

4.64%

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

$30.57 ₡13.7K

$25.19 MX$427

21.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.0 ₡26.9K

$31.75 MX$539

89.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.9 ₡32.6K

$68.8 MX$1,167

5.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$8.16 ₡3,653

$4.86 MX$82.5

67.90%

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

$856 ₡383.3K

$226 MX$3,828

279.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K ₡7.7M

$4,194 MX$71.1K

309.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.2 ₡32.3K

$47.38 MX$804

52.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 ₡25.6K

$43.45 MX$737

31.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 ₡58.3K

$80.2 MX$1,361

62.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₡59.3K

$91.4 MX$1,550

45.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₡353.2K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-27.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 ₡283.7K

$409 MX$6,933

55.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,866 ₡835.0K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-5.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 ₡576.1K

$1,281 MX$21.7K

0.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,939 ₡867.9K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-52.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,497 ₡669.9K

$773 MX$13.1K

93.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.78

11.45

-23.32%

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

Last update for Acosta: September 5, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $789 in Acosta and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Acosta pays 94% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $57.0 in Acosta vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $378 vs $278 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

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

Acosta and Playa del Carmen differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($1,679 vs $1,305 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 94% higher in Acosta, 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: $789 in Acosta versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Acosta. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,679 per month in Acosta versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,679 in Acosta, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Acosta. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Acosta and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Acosta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.