😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,124 in Afula versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,773 in Afula versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,422 in Afula versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Living in Afula is roughly 65% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Afula is 59% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Afula
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.14₪66.0
$11.94MX$209
85.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$88.1₪263
$42.75MX$748
106.11%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$16.93₪50.5
$10.59MX$185
59.87%
Cappuccino
$4.33₪12.91
$3.62MX$63.4
19.61%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21₪9.55
$1.47MX$25.69
118.37%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26₪6.75
$0.94MX$16.51
140.43%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$8.54₪25.44
$3.09MX$54.1
176.38%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$9.63₪28.71
$4.46MX$78.0
115.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Afula
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.93₪5.74
$1.43MX$24.94
34.97%
White Bread(500g)
$1.42₪4.24
$1.88MX$32.97
-24.47%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.29₪6.83
$1.63MX$28.50
40.49%
Eggs
$3.92₪11.68
$2.64MX$46.26
48.48%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.08₪38.96
$8.21MX$144
59.32%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.22₪27.48
$8.29MX$145
11.22%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.24₪33.49
$11.10MX$194
1.26%
Apples(1kg)
$2.46₪7.34
$2.65MX$46.40
-7.17%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70₪5.06
$1.50MX$26.26
13.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.69₪5.04
$1.99MX$34.79
-15.08%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.91₪5.68
$2.08MX$36.33
-8.17%
Potato(1kg)
$1.15₪3.42
$1.79MX$31.29
-35.75%
Onion(1kg)
$1.04₪3.10
$2.18MX$38.09
-52.29%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.18₪6.50
$1.08MX$18.84
101.85%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.10₪3.28
$1.04MX$18.15
5.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$8.66₪25.82
$3.97MX$69.5
118.14%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.98₪35.71
$10.20MX$179
17.45%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.90₪8.64
$1.73MX$30.22
67.63%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.56₪10.62
$2.50MX$43.71
42.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Afula
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.58₪4.71
$0.52MX$9.07
203.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$27.84₪83.0
$26.97MX$472
3.23%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.12₪12.28
$3.14MX$55.0
31.21%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.86₪2.55
$2.40MX$42.04
-64.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$40.78₪122
$3.09MX$54.0
1219.74%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.98₪5.89
$1.27MX$22.28
55.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.2K₪116.9K
$30.9KMX$540.4K
27.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$47.1K₪140.2K
$23.3KMX$408.0K
101.83%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Afula
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$184₪547
$82.0MX$1,435
123.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.10₪33.09
$22.45MX$393
-50.56%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.83₪68.0
$29.66MX$519
-23.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Afula
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.90₪125
$51.9MX$908
-19.22%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.57₪55.4
$18.67MX$327
-0.54%
Cinema Ticket
$12.49₪37.21
$4.97MX$87.0
151.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Afula
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$856₪2,550
$198MX$3,462
332.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$18.5K₪55.2K
$5,273MX$92.3K
251.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Afula
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.3₪254
$36.34MX$636
134.76%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$63.2₪188
$40.05MX$701
57.78%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$131₪389
$79.9MX$1,398
63.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$170₪506
$88.9MX$1,555
90.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Afula
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,033₪3,077
$963MX$16.9K
7.19%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$934₪2,783
$465MX$8,133
100.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,013₪3,018
$1,596MX$27.9K
-36.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$662₪1,971
$1,209MX$21.2K
-45.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,796₪11.3K
$3,942MX$69.0K
-3.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,142₪9,364
$6,448MX$112.8K
-51.27%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Afula
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,651₪13.9K
$720MX$12.6K
545.61%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3
11.42
-73.73%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Afula: April 26, 2026
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,033 in Afula and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Afula pays 546% 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: $88.0 in Afula vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $251 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Afula vs Playa del Carmen: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Afula and Playa del Carmen?
Afula and Playa del Carmen differ by about 65% in total monthly costs ($2,124 vs $1,287 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Afula or Playa del Carmen?
Afula pays 546% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Afula and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,033 in Afula versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Afula. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $88.0 in Afula. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,124 in Afula, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Afula. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Afula and Playa del Carmen?
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.
Is Afula or Playa del Carmen safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Afula 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.
Where should expats move: Afula or Playa del Carmen?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Afula. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.