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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $894 in Aguadulce versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,442 in Aguadulce versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,989 in Aguadulce versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Aguadulce costs roughly 30% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Aguadulce 33% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.82 PAB 9.82

$11.94 MX$209

-17.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.45 PAB 49.45

$42.75 MX$748

15.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.14 PAB 8.14

$10.59 MX$185

-23.14%

Cappuccino

$3.56 PAB 3.56

$3.62 MX$63.4

-1.66%

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

$1.66 PAB 1.66

$1.47 MX$25.69

12.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 PAB 1.35

$0.94 MX$16.51

43.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.07 PAB 3.07

$3.09 MX$54.1

-0.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 PAB 4.12

$4.46 MX$78.0

-7.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 PAB 1.86

$1.43 MX$24.94

30.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.59 PAB 2.59

$1.88 MX$32.97

37.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 PAB 2.48

$1.63 MX$28.50

52.15%

Eggs

$2.87 PAB 2.87

$2.64 MX$46.26

8.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.45 PAB 11.45

$8.21 MX$144

39.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.03 PAB 7.03

$8.29 MX$145

-15.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.92 PAB 9.92

$11.10 MX$194

-10.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 PAB 3.32

$2.65 MX$46.40

25.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 PAB 1.50

$1.50 MX$26.26

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 PAB 2.82

$1.99 MX$34.79

41.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.12 PAB 3.12

$2.08 MX$36.33

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 PAB 2.30

$1.79 MX$31.29

28.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 PAB 2.89

$2.18 MX$38.09

32.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 PAB 2.24

$1.08 MX$18.84

107.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 PAB 1.53

$1.04 MX$18.15

47.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.03 PAB 6.03

$3.97 MX$69.5

51.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.14 PAB 11.14

$10.20 MX$179

9.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 PAB 1.30

$1.73 MX$30.22

-24.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 PAB 2.46

$2.50 MX$43.71

-1.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 PAB 0.26

$0.52 MX$9.07

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 PAB 2.47

$3.14 MX$55.0

-21.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 PAB 1.82

$2.40 MX$42.04

-24.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.02 PAB 22.02

$3.09 MX$54.0

612.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 PAB 0.95

$1.27 MX$22.28

-25.20%

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

$19.7K PAB 19.7K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-36.16%

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

$20.6K PAB 20.6K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

-11.56%

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

$123 PAB 123

$82.0 MX$1,435

49.63%

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

$29.69 PAB 29.69

$22.45 MX$393

32.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.45 PAB 49.45

$29.66 MX$519

66.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.92 PAB 45.92

$51.9 MX$908

-11.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$8.02 PAB 8.02

$4.97 MX$87.0

61.37%

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

$477 PAB 477

$198 MX$3,462

141.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K PAB 15.6K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

195.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 PAB 51.8

$36.34 MX$636

42.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.63 PAB 46.63

$40.05 MX$701

16.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 PAB 88.0

$79.9 MX$1,398

10.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 PAB 119

$88.9 MX$1,555

33.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.23

11.42

-45.45%

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

Last update for Aguadulce: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $49.00 in Aguadulce vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $251 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

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

Aguadulce wins on cost – living expenses run 44% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Aguadulce the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,342 in Aguadulce and $1,930 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.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 16% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $894 per month in Aguadulce versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $894 in Aguadulce versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Aguadulce but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Aguadulce the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Aguadulce delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $894 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Aguadulce hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Aguadulce 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 Aguadulce gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.