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 $1,384 per month in Aden vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,360 per month in Aden vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,336 per month in Aden vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Aden costs about 10% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Aden sits 4% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.42 YER 3,176

$11.99 MX$210

11.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.21 YER 8,334

$41.78 MX$731

-15.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 YER 2,397

$10.75 MX$188

-5.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.37 YER 1,035

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 YER 907

Cappuccino

$5.02 YER 1,188

$3.50 MX$61.1

43.43%

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

$2.02 YER 477

$1.45 MX$25.33

39.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 YER 189

$0.88 MX$15.47

-9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.9

Milk (1 liter)

$4.30 YER 1,018

$1.43 MX$25.04

200.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.02 YER 479

$1.84 MX$32.13

9.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.14 YER 1,689

$1.57 MX$27.42

354.78%

Eggs

$5.77 YER 1,366

$2.51 MX$43.92

129.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.17 YER 2,643

$8.28 MX$145

34.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.69 YER 3,950

$8.43 MX$147

97.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$38.73 YER 9,166

$10.68 MX$187

262.64%

Apples (1kg)

$9.39 YER 2,222

$2.61 MX$45.62

259.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 YER 614

$1.44 MX$25.15

79.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.58 YER 1,794

$1.96 MX$34.31

286.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 YER 850

$2.09 MX$36.62

71.77%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 YER 817

$1.85 MX$32.37

86.49%

Onion (1kg)

$3.32 YER 785

$2.17 MX$37.90

53.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 YER 157

$1.03 MX$18.04

-35.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 YER 349

$1.07 MX$18.78

38.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 YER 171

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 YER 447

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.86 YER 1,151

$4.10 MX$71.7

18.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.29

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.17

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 YER 275

$0.51 MX$8.90

127.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.75 YER 9,646

$26.04 MX$455

56.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 YER 628

$3.23 MX$56.5

-17.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 YER 466

$2.41 MX$42.06

-18.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 YER 1,355

$3.23 MX$56.5

77.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.69 YER 874

$1.32 MX$23.10

179.55%

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

$16.4K YER 3.9M

$29.7K MX$519.2K

-44.82%

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

$60.4K YER 14.3M

$23.7K MX$413.7K

155.39%

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

$79.0 YER 18.7K

$82.0 MX$1,434

-3.71%

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

$9.90 YER 2,343

$22.95 MX$401

-56.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.6 YER 13.2K

$30.11 MX$527

84.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.8 YER 15.1K

$52.0 MX$909

22.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.02 YER 6,394

$18.53 MX$324

45.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.58 YER 1,321

$4.98 MX$87.0

12.05%

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

$147 YER 34.7K

$197 MX$3,452

-25.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,870 YER 442.5K

$5,336 MX$93.3K

-64.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.8 YER 22.9K

$35.60 MX$622

171.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$102 YER 24.2K

$40.33 MX$705

154.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$158 YER 37.4K

$78.8 MX$1,377

100.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$187 YER 44.2K

$88.9 MX$1,555

110.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 YER 56.9K

$947 MX$16.6K

-74.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 YER 41.9K

$474 MX$8,288

-62.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$528 YER 124.9K

$1,644 MX$28.7K

-67.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$530 YER 125.5K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-56.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,231 YER 291.4K

$4,056 MX$70.9K

-69.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$850 YER 201.1K

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-86.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$459 YER 108.6K

$654 MX$11.4K

-29.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.67

11.42

10.95%

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

Last update for Aden: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $240 in Aden versus $947 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 43% 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 $35.00 in Aden versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $496 in Aden 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

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

Aden costs about 10% 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 $2,076 per month in Aden and $1,884 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 $35.00 in Aden and $42.00 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 $1,384 in Aden and $1,256 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 $1,256, than in Aden at $1,384. 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 $1,256 versus $1,384 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.