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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,219 per month in Acuna vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,937 per month in Acuna vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,656 per month in Acuna vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Acuna is about 4% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Acuna and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Acuna 11% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.92 MX$170

$11.60 MX$199

-14.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.58 MX$782

$47.11 MX$809

-3.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.98 MX$154

$11.88 MX$204

-24.41%

Cappuccino

$3.53 MX$60.6

$3.98 MX$68.2

-11.31%

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

$1.24 MX$21.37

$1.43 MX$24.49

-13.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 MX$17.19

$0.82 MX$14.16

21.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 MX$42.70

$3.19 MX$54.7

-21.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 MX$71.3

$6.79 MX$117

-38.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$1.68 MX$28.76

-6.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.76 MX$47.42

$2.20 MX$37.71

25.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 MX$29.87

$1.71 MX$29.32

1.75%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$44.79

$2.74 MX$47.05

-4.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 MX$169

$9.58 MX$164

2.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.73 MX$150

$9.01 MX$155

-3.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.63 MX$234

$12.81 MX$220

6.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 MX$44.35

$2.89 MX$49.58

-10.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.60

$1.50 MX$25.70

3.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.48

$2.15 MX$36.87

-3.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$34.86

$2.26 MX$38.79

-10.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$30.70

$1.98 MX$34.00

-9.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.70

$1.99 MX$34.15

-4.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.67 MX$28.60

$1.23 MX$21.18

35.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 MX$21.39

$1.20 MX$20.54

4.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.75 MX$81.6

$4.55 MX$78.1

4.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.30 MX$194

$10.37 MX$178

8.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$29.89

$1.62 MX$27.79

7.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.4

$2.88 MX$49.44

28.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 MX$10.94

$0.60 MX$10.30

6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 MX$50.9

$5.39 MX$92.5

-45.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 MX$34.65

$3.73 MX$64.0

-45.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.51 MX$180

$5.77 MX$99.0

82.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.42

$1.54 MX$26.37

-7.79%

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

$20.8K MX$357.4K

$22.5K MX$387.0K

-7.65%

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

$27.6K MX$473.2K

$26.1K MX$447.3K

5.80%

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

$66.5 MX$1,142

$91.4 MX$1,569

-27.19%

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

$21.11 MX$362

$25.20 MX$433

-16.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 MX$482

$31.24 MX$536

-10.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.07 MX$619

$67.2 MX$1,154

-46.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.93 MX$411

$29.11 MX$500

-17.79%

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 MX$96.9

$4.86 MX$83.5

16.26%

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

$224 MX$3,850

$224 MX$3,839

0.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,828 MX$82.9K

$4,229 MX$72.6K

14.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 MX$862

$47.10 MX$808

6.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.1 MX$877

$44.29 MX$760

15.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 MX$1,669

$80.1 MX$1,375

21.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.9 MX$1,594

$92.7 MX$1,591

0.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$600 MX$10.3K

$1,063 MX$18.2K

-43.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$438 MX$7,513

$390 MX$6,698

12.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 MX$21.7K

$2,149 MX$36.9K

-41.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$926 MX$15.9K

$1,272 MX$21.8K

-27.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,894 MX$32.5K

$4,001 MX$68.7K

-52.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,163 MX$20.0K

$6,502 MX$111.6K

-82.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

11.45

-1.31%

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

Last update for Acuna: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $600 in Acuna versus $1,063 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 $46.00 in Acuna versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $285 in Acuna vs $276 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,829 per month in Acuna and $1,899 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 Acuna, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Acuna and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Acuna, where all-in costs run around $1,219, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Acuna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Acuna – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Acuna. 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.