Cost of Living Comparison Between Agana Heights and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Agana Heights and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,547 in Agana Heights versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,332 in Agana Heights versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,118 in Agana Heights versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Agana Heights is roughly 19% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Agana Heights is 15% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.29 $16.29

$11.73 MX$203

38.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.93 $49.93

$41.62 MX$720

19.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.98 $10.98

$10.64 MX$184

3.20%

Cappuccino

$4.86 $4.86

$3.52 MX$60.9

38.07%

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

$1.23 $1.23

$1.51 MX$26.12

-18.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 $1.22

$0.97 MX$16.84

25.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.90 $3.90

$2.95 MX$51.0

32.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.80 $6.80

$4.45 MX$77.0

52.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.38 MX$23.93

21.74%

White Bread (500g)

$6.46 $6.46

$1.89 MX$32.72

241.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.00 $7.00

$1.64 MX$28.32

326.83%

Eggs

$6.92 $6.92

$2.51 MX$43.34

175.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.51 $18.51

$8.34 MX$144

121.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.73 $6.73

$8.34 MX$144

-19.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.93 $17.93

$10.73 MX$186

67.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.85 $3.85

$2.60 MX$45.04

48.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.46 MX$25.20

-16.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

Tomato (1kg)

$6.45 $6.45

$2.08 MX$35.91

210.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.78 MX$30.71

51.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.19 MX$37.80

26.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.11 $4.11

$1.04 MX$17.99

295.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.08 MX$18.62

87.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.08 $10.08

$4.08 MX$70.6

147.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.10 $12.10

$10.32 MX$178

17.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.71 MX$29.61

3.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.58 MX$44.54

-41.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$0.51 MX$8.81

478.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.0 $59.0

$26.46 MX$458

122.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.98 $9.98

$3.26 MX$56.4

206.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

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

$40.0K $40.0K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

31.99%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

47.30%

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

$347 $347

$82.9 MX$1,433

318.38%

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

$74.1 $74.1

$22.22 MX$384

233.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$96.7 $96.7

$29.34 MX$507

229.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$99.6 $99.6

$51.6 MX$893

92.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.38 $44.38

$18.32 MX$317

142.25%

Cinema Ticket

$9.80 $9.80

$5.07 MX$87.6

93.29%

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

$201 MX$3,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.0 $56.0

$36.92 MX$639

51.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 $55.3

$39.79 MX$688

38.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$78.5 MX$1,357

28.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 $147

$87.1 MX$1,506

69.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Agana Heights: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $50.0 in Agana Heights vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $429 vs $249 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Agana Heights. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,320 in Agana Heights and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 72% higher in Agana Heights. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,547 per month in Agana Heights versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,547 in Agana Heights, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Agana Heights. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,297 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Agana Heights 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.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Agana Heights. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.