🙂A single person spends $653 per month in Alfenas vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,213 per month in Alfenas vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,773 per month in Alfenas vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
🙂Alfenas is about 49% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Alfenas and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Alfenas51% lower, Playa del Carmen4% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Alfenas
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.66R$18.27
$11.94MX$209
-69.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$26.99R$135
$42.75MX$748
-36.87%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.51R$27.47
$10.59MX$185
-47.97%
Cappuccino
$0.94R$4.69
$3.62MX$63.4
-74.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56R$2.77
$1.47MX$25.69
-61.90%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.52R$2.61
$0.94MX$16.51
-44.68%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.14R$10.68
$3.09MX$54.1
-30.74%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71R$13.53
$4.46MX$78.0
-39.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Alfenas
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06R$5.28
$1.43MX$24.94
-25.87%
White Bread(500g)
$1.78R$8.90
$1.88MX$32.97
-5.32%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.30R$6.47
$1.63MX$28.50
-20.25%
Eggs
$2.39R$11.93
$2.64MX$46.26
-9.47%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.13R$55.5
$8.21MX$144
35.57%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.20R$20.96
$8.29MX$145
-49.34%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.78R$43.82
$11.10MX$194
-20.90%
Apples(1kg)
$2.74R$13.68
$2.65MX$46.40
3.40%
Banana(1kg)
$1.85R$9.22
$1.50MX$26.26
23.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.63R$8.16
$1.99MX$34.79
-18.09%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.77R$8.82
$2.08MX$36.33
-14.90%
Potato(1kg)
$1.43R$7.16
$1.79MX$31.29
-20.11%
Onion(1kg)
$1.26R$6.27
$2.18MX$38.09
-42.20%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.94R$4.71
$1.08MX$18.84
-12.96%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.68R$3.37
$1.04MX$18.15
-34.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.75R$8.72
$3.97MX$69.5
-55.92%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.03R$50.1
$10.20MX$179
-1.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37R$6.83
$1.73MX$30.22
-20.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30R$11.46
$2.50MX$43.71
-8.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Alfenas
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.89R$4.42
$0.52MX$9.07
71.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$38.54R$192
$26.97MX$472
42.90%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.10R$5.48
$3.14MX$55.0
-64.97%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.74R$3.71
$2.40MX$42.04
-69.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$9.00R$44.92
$3.09MX$54.0
191.26%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.07R$5.32
$1.27MX$22.28
-15.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.0KR$109.7K
$30.9KMX$540.4K
-28.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0KR$134.5K
$23.3KMX$408.0K
15.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Alfenas
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$53.4R$266
$82.0MX$1,435
-34.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.12R$65.5
$22.45MX$393
-41.56%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.30R$91.3
$29.66MX$519
-38.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Alfenas
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$22.83R$114
$51.9MX$908
-55.99%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.00R$110
$18.67MX$327
17.84%
Cinema Ticket
$6.20R$30.94
$4.97MX$87.0
24.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Alfenas
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$498R$2,485
$198MX$3,462
151.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.2KR$75.7K
$5,273MX$92.3K
187.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Alfenas
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.1R$255
$36.34MX$636
40.51%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.83R$209
$40.05MX$701
4.44%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9R$399
$79.9MX$1,398
0.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.8R$358
$88.9MX$1,555
-19.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Alfenas
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$314R$1,568
$963MX$16.9K
-67.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$88.4R$441
$465MX$8,133
-80.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$573R$2,862
$1,596MX$27.9K
-64.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$427R$2,131
$1,209MX$21.2K
-64.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,751R$8,737
$3,942MX$69.0K
-55.58%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,143R$5,702
$6,448MX$112.8K
-82.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Alfenas
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494R$2,467
$720MX$12.6K
-31.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.56
11.42
1.23%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Alfenas: April 26, 2026
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $314 in Alfenas 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.
💰Salaries run about 46% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Alfenas versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $214 vs $251 – making Alfenas the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Alfenas vs Playa del Carmen: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
How do living costs in Alfenas and Playa del Carmen compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $653 in Alfenas, $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 97% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Alfenas compared to Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $980 per month in Alfenas and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Alfenas and Playa del Carmen?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Alfenas, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 17% 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.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Alfenas and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Alfenas, where all-in costs run around $653, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Alfenas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Alfenas and Playa del Carmen?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $653 in Alfenas to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Alfenas and Playa del Carmen?
If budget matters most, go with Alfenas. 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.
Alfenas vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado