😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,656 in Agen versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,472 in Agen versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,288 in Agen versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Living in Agen is roughly 30% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Agen is 23% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Agen
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.26€10.56
$11.87MX$204
3.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.3€55.4
$42.90MX$736
49.98%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.80€10.17
$10.65MX$183
10.80%
Cappuccino
$3.98€3.42
$3.45MX$59.2
15.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78€2.40
$1.50MX$25.81
85.33%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65€1.42
$0.95MX$16.28
73.68%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.35€5.47
$3.03MX$51.9
109.57%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75€4.95
$4.61MX$79.1
24.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Agen
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.17€1.01
$1.38MX$23.61
-15.22%
White Bread(500g)
$2.19€1.88
$1.85MX$31.70
18.38%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.56€2.20
$1.61MX$27.65
59.01%
Eggs
$3.45€2.97
$2.59MX$44.51
33.20%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.14€13.05
$8.26MX$142
83.29%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$13.18€11.36
$8.37MX$144
57.47%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.33€14.07
$10.66MX$183
53.19%
Apples(1kg)
$2.62€2.26
$2.63MX$45.12
-0.38%
Banana(1kg)
$2.25€1.94
$1.49MX$25.53
51.01%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.53€2.18
$1.92MX$32.94
31.77%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.60€3.97
$2.09MX$35.81
120.10%
Potato(1kg)
$2.10€1.81
$1.86MX$31.88
12.90%
Onion(1kg)
$2.80€2.41
$2.26MX$38.81
23.89%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.33€1.15
$1.06MX$18.23
25.47%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.68€0.58
$1.09MX$18.67
-37.61%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$13.32€11.48
$4.15MX$71.2
220.96%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.08€7.83
$10.39MX$178
-12.61%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.88€2.48
$1.72MX$29.59
67.44%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.32€2.86
$2.61MX$44.85
27.20%
🚌 Getting Around
Agen
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.46€1.26
$0.54MX$9.30
170.37%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$49.14€42.34
$26.94MX$462
82.41%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.61€3.97
$3.13MX$53.7
47.28%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.10€2.67
$2.51MX$43.09
23.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$49.20€42.39
$3.15MX$54.1
1461.90%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.02€1.74
$1.27MX$21.88
59.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.5K€21.9K
$30.4KMX$521.3K
-16.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.9K€19.7K
$23.6KMX$404.5K
-3.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Agen
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$234€202
$83.0MX$1,425
182.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.91€21.46
$22.71MX$390
9.69%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.54€28.04
$29.46MX$506
10.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Agen
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$17.53€15.11
$51.0MX$875
-65.63%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.57€16.00
$18.33MX$315
1.31%
Cinema Ticket
$11.01€9.49
$4.93MX$84.5
123.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Agen
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$345€297
$197MX$3,386
74.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,417€8,113
$5,280MX$90.6K
78.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Agen
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.3€75.2
$36.90MX$633
136.61%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$17.09€14.72
$39.89MX$685
-57.16%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$86.4€74.5
$80.0MX$1,373
8.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.2€72.5
$89.5MX$1,536
-5.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Agen
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$617€532
$956MX$16.4K
-35.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$531€457
$477MX$8,189
11.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$995€857
$1,646MX$28.3K
-39.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$916€789
$1,225MX$21.0K
-25.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,186€3,607
$3,918MX$67.2K
6.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,163€2,726
$6,459MX$110.9K
-51.03%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Agen
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,273€2,820
$667MX$11.4K
390.72%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.5
11.42
-69.35%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Agen: June 8, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $617 in Agen and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Agen pays 391% 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: $64.0 in Agen vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $342 vs $250 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
Agen vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Agen or Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 30% lower than in Agen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Agen or Playa del Carmen?
Agen pays 391% 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 much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Agen vs Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $617 in Agen versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Agen or Playa del Carmen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Agen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Agen vs Playa del Carmen?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $64.0 in Agen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Agen or Playa del Carmen?
At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,656 in Agen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Agen. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Agen or Playa del Carmen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,271 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
How safe is Agen compared to Playa del Carmen?
Safety-wise, Agen 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Agen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.