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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,848 per month in Aden vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,973 per month in Aden vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,098 per month in Aden vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Aden costs about 42% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Aden sits 34% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.52 YER 2,965

$11.96 MX$203

4.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.39 YER 8,616

$47.38 MX$805

-23.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 YER 2,393

$11.75 MX$200

-13.96%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 YER 854

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 YER 1,031

Cappuccino

$3.99 YER 945

$4.12 MX$70.1

-3.16%

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

$3.35 YER 793

$1.40 MX$23.78

139.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 YER 417

$0.91 MX$15.50

93.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

Milk (1 liter)

$5.26 YER 1,246

$1.68 MX$28.49

213.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 YER 541

$2.15 MX$36.53

6.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$9.39 YER 2,223

$1.77 MX$30.14

430.51%

Eggs

$10.23 YER 2,423

$2.82 MX$47.83

262.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.66 YER 2,523

$9.20 MX$156

15.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$20.73 YER 4,907

$9.23 MX$157

124.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$56.0 YER 13.3K

$12.64 MX$215

342.80%

Apples (1kg)

$15.30 YER 3,622

$2.95 MX$50.1

418.64%

Banana (1kg)

$3.52 YER 834

$1.58 MX$26.83

122.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$10.70 YER 2,532

$2.22 MX$37.76

381.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 YER 991

$2.36 MX$40.15

77.54%

Potato (1kg)

$4.32 YER 1,022

$1.99 MX$33.86

117.09%

Onion (1kg)

$3.58 YER 848

$1.98 MX$33.63

80.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 YER 253

$1.24 MX$21.07

-13.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 YER 332

$1.21 MX$20.58

15.70%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$6.31 YER 1,493

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 YER 987

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 YER 1,559

$4.60 MX$78.2

43.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.74

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.13

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 YER 245

$0.60 MX$10.24

73.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.5 YER 22.1K

$29.70 MX$505

214.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 YER 809

$5.24 MX$89.0

-34.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$62.0

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.55 YER 2,025

$5.78 MX$98.3

47.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.35 YER 794

$1.54 MX$26.13

117.53%

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

$17.1K YER 4.1M

$22.8K MX$387.4K

-24.87%

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

$63.8K YER 15.1M

$25.8K MX$438.5K

147.20%

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

$87.6 YER 20.7K

$90.7 MX$1,540

-3.44%

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

$10.01 YER 2,370

$25.19 MX$428

-60.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$124 YER 29.5K

$31.75 MX$539

291.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 YER 18.1K

$68.8 MX$1,169

11.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.05 YER 6,168

$29.37 MX$499

-11.30%

Cinema Ticket

$6.06 YER 1,435

$4.86 MX$82.6

24.69%

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

$121 YER 28.6K

$226 MX$3,834

-46.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,734 YER 1.1M

$4,194 MX$71.2K

12.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 YER 23.9K

$47.38 MX$805

113.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$104 YER 24.5K

$43.45 MX$738

138.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$161 YER 38.1K

$80.2 MX$1,363

100.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$185 YER 43.8K

$91.4 MX$1,552

102.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 YER 78.7K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-69.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 YER 76.4K

$409 MX$6,943

-21.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$804 YER 190.2K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-59.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$654 YER 154.9K

$1,281 MX$21.8K

-48.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,265 YER 299.5K

$4,046 MX$68.7K

-68.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$843 YER 199.7K

$6,704 MX$113.9K

-87.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$460 YER 108.9K

$773 MX$13.1K

-40.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

11.45

0.44%

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

Last update for Aden: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $333 in Aden versus $1,086 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 68% higher in Playa del Carmen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Aden versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $660 in Aden vs $278 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

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

Aden costs about 42% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,772 per month in Aden and $1,958 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 Playa del Carmen, 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 $36.00 in Aden and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,848 in Aden and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Aden at $1,848. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Aden it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,305 versus $1,848 in Aden. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Aden makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.