Cost of Living Comparison Between Aguada and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Aguada and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,170 in Aguada versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,226 in Aguada versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,283 in Aguada versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Aguada costs roughly 8% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Aguada 14% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.78 $10.78

$11.60 MX$200

-7.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.18 $12.18

$11.88 MX$205

2.53%

Cappuccino

$2.03 $2.03

$3.98 MX$68.6

-48.99%

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

$2.06 $2.06

$1.43 MX$24.60

44.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$0.82 MX$14.22

25.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 $1.48

$3.19 MX$55.0

-53.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$6.79 MX$117

-55.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.68 MX$28.89

1.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.20 MX$37.88

14.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

Eggs

$4.27 $4.27

$2.74 MX$47.26

55.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.54 MX$26.48

-43.51%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

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

$259 $259

$91.4 MX$1,576

183.17%

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

$60.4 $60.4

$25.20 MX$435

139.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 $55.9

$67.2 MX$1,159

-16.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$6.14 $6.14

$4.86 MX$83.8

26.34%

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

$498 $498

$224 MX$3,856

122.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.58 $35.58

$47.10 MX$812

-24.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.54 $40.54

$44.29 MX$764

-8.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.4 $81.4

$80.1 MX$1,381

1.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 $100

$92.7 MX$1,598

8.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 $497

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-53.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$444 $444

$390 MX$6,728

13.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,162 $2,162

$758 MX$13.1K

185.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Aguada: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $497 in Aguada and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aguada pays 185% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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

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

Aguada and Playa del Carmen differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($1,170 vs $1,266 including rent). Aguada is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 185% higher in Aguada, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $497 in Aguada versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $498 in Aguada versus $224 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you'll spend $1,170 per month in Aguada versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,170 in Aguada versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Aguada but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Aguada the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Aguada 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 Aguada gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.