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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,106 per month in Akbuk vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,754 per month in Akbuk vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,402 per month in Akbuk vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Akbuk is about 14% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Akbuk and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Akbuk 17% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.46 ₺337

$11.94 MX$209

-37.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.79 ₺2,022

$42.75 MX$748

4.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.89 ₺311

$10.59 MX$185

-34.94%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₺120

$3.62 MX$63.4

-26.80%

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

$1.74 ₺78.7

$1.47 MX$25.69

18.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₺19.41

$0.94 MX$16.51

-54.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 ₺140

$3.09 MX$54.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 ₺189

$4.46 MX$78.0

-6.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 ₺37.70

$1.43 MX$24.94

-41.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 ₺42.40

$1.88 MX$32.97

-50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 ₺69.5

$1.63 MX$28.50

-5.52%

Eggs

$1.74 ₺78.4

$2.64 MX$46.26

-34.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.00 ₺361

$8.21 MX$144

-2.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.49 ₺248

$8.29 MX$145

-33.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.32 ₺872

$11.10 MX$194

74.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.10 ₺49.74

$2.65 MX$46.40

-58.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 ₺93.0

$1.50 MX$26.26

37.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 ₺47.30

$1.99 MX$34.79

-47.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ₺51.6

$2.08 MX$36.33

-45.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 ₺26.79

$1.79 MX$31.29

-67.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.42 ₺18.94

$2.18 MX$38.09

-80.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺56.6

$1.08 MX$18.84

15.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₺14.30

$1.04 MX$18.15

-69.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.03 ₺91.7

$3.97 MX$69.5

-48.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.56 ₺612

$10.20 MX$179

32.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ₺73.7

$1.73 MX$30.22

-5.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ₺95.9

$2.50 MX$43.71

-15.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 ₺27.94

$0.52 MX$9.07

19.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.92 ₺1,350

$26.97 MX$472

10.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 ₺49.10

$3.14 MX$55.0

-65.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ₺48.46

$2.40 MX$42.04

-55.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.52 ₺340

$3.09 MX$54.0

143.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺54.8

$1.27 MX$22.28

-4.72%

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

$40.2K ₺1.8M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

30.23%

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

$42.4K ₺1.9M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

81.82%

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

$49.36 ₺2,228

$82.0 MX$1,435

-39.81%

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

$8.06 ₺364

$22.45 MX$393

-64.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.68 ₺708

$29.66 MX$519

-47.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.79 ₺1,977

$51.9 MX$908

-15.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 ₺279

$4.97 MX$87.0

24.35%

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

$610 ₺27.5K

$198 MX$3,462

208.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,973 ₺405.0K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

70.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 ₺3,385

$36.34 MX$636

106.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.23 ₺1,996

$40.05 MX$701

10.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$163 ₺7,351

$79.9 MX$1,398

103.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₺5,112

$88.9 MX$1,555

27.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$510 ₺23.0K

$963 MX$16.9K

-47.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$399 ₺18.0K

$465 MX$8,133

-14.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$898 ₺40.5K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-43.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 ₺32.2K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-41.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,485 ₺67.0K

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-62.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$823 ₺37.2K

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-87.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

42.08

11.42

268.48%

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

Last update for Akbuk: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $510 in Akbuk versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Akbuk versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $219 in Akbuk vs $251 in Playa del Carmen – so Akbuk wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 16%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,660 per month in Akbuk and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Akbuk, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Akbuk and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Akbuk, where all-in costs run around $1,106, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Akbuk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Akbuk – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Akbuk. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.