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 $1,401 per month in Aden vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,398 per month in Aden vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,394 per month in Aden vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Aden costs about 8% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Aden sits 5% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.40 YER 3,193

$11.73 MX$203

14.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 YER 8,358

$41.62 MX$720

-15.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.09 YER 2,405

$10.64 MX$184

-5.17%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.30 YER 1,025

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 YER 884

Cappuccino

$4.96 YER 1,183

$3.52 MX$60.9

40.91%

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

$2.03 YER 485

$1.51 MX$26.12

34.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 YER 191

$0.97 MX$16.84

-17.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$4.13 YER 984

$1.38 MX$23.93

199.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 YER 467

$1.89 MX$32.72

3.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.38 YER 1,759

$1.64 MX$28.32

350.00%

Eggs

$5.82 YER 1,387

$2.51 MX$43.34

131.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.25 YER 2,680

$8.34 MX$144

34.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.84 YER 4,013

$8.34 MX$144

101.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.24 YER 9,352

$10.73 MX$186

265.70%

Apples (1kg)

$9.50 YER 2,263

$2.60 MX$45.04

265.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 YER 616

$1.46 MX$25.20

76.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.85 YER 1,871

$1.90 MX$32.87

313.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.54 YER 845

$2.08 MX$35.91

70.19%

Potato (1kg)

$3.43 YER 818

$1.78 MX$30.71

92.70%

Onion (1kg)

$3.23 YER 770

$2.19 MX$37.80

47.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 YER 156

$1.04 MX$17.99

-37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 YER 351

$1.08 MX$18.62

36.11%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 YER 159

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 YER 450

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.89 YER 1,165

$4.08 MX$70.6

19.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 YER 266

$0.51 MX$8.81

117.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.49 YER 9,649

$26.46 MX$458

53.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 YER 622

$3.26 MX$56.4

-19.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 YER 466

$2.49 MX$43.09

-21.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.47 YER 1,303

$3.25 MX$56.2

68.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.74 YER 891

$1.31 MX$22.61

185.50%

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

$16.8K YER 4.0M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-44.67%

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

$61.6K YER 14.7M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

162.98%

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

$77.8 YER 18.5K

$82.9 MX$1,433

-6.09%

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

$9.90 YER 2,360

$22.22 MX$384

-55.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.3 YER 13.2K

$29.34 MX$507

88.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.3 YER 14.8K

$51.6 MX$893

20.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.09 YER 6,456

$18.32 MX$317

47.87%

Cinema Ticket

$5.63 YER 1,341

$5.07 MX$87.6

11.05%

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

$145 YER 34.7K

$201 MX$3,473

-27.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,917 YER 456.7K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-63.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.0 YER 23.4K

$36.92 MX$639

165.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$102 YER 24.2K

$39.79 MX$688

155.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$157 YER 37.4K

$78.5 MX$1,357

99.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$185 YER 44.1K

$87.1 MX$1,506

112.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 YER 57.4K

$973 MX$16.8K

-75.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 YER 42.5K

$468 MX$8,090

-61.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$545 YER 129.8K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-66.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 YER 123.3K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-57.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,258 YER 299.7K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-68.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$840 YER 200.1K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-87.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$456 YER 108.6K

$664 MX$11.5K

-31.36%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $241 in Aden 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 46% 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 – $499 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 8% 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 $2,102 per month in Aden 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 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 $1,401 in Aden and $1,297 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 $1,297, than in Aden at $1,401. 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 $1,297 versus $1,401 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.