😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,466 in Añasco versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,068 in Añasco versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,670 in Añasco versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Living in Añasco is roughly 15% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Añasco is 9% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Añasco
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.10$12.10
$11.87MX$204
1.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.66$49.66
$42.90MX$736
15.76%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.93$4.93
$10.65MX$183
-53.71%
Cappuccino
$2.21$2.21
$3.45MX$59.2
-35.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99$0.99
$1.50MX$25.81
-34.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.02$1.02
$0.95MX$16.28
7.37%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.53$1.53
$3.03MX$51.9
-49.50%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.52$3.52
$4.61MX$79.1
-23.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Añasco
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.82$1.82
$1.38MX$23.61
31.88%
White Bread(500g)
$3.48$3.48
$1.85MX$31.70
88.11%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.68$1.68
$1.61MX$27.65
4.35%
Eggs
$2.46$2.46
$2.59MX$44.51
-5.02%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.45$4.45
$8.26MX$142
-46.13%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.25$8.25
$8.37MX$144
-1.43%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.66$8.66
$10.66MX$183
-18.76%
Apples(1kg)
$5.72$5.72
$2.63MX$45.12
117.49%
Banana(1kg)
$2.71$2.71
$1.49MX$25.53
81.88%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.01$4.01
$1.92MX$32.94
108.85%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.99$3.99
$2.09MX$35.81
90.91%
Potato(1kg)
$4.07$4.07
$1.86MX$31.88
118.82%
Onion(1kg)
$2.97$2.97
$2.26MX$38.81
31.42%
Lettuce(1 head)
$3.00$3.00
$1.06MX$18.23
183.02%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.92$1.92
$1.09MX$18.67
76.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.29$4.29
$4.15MX$71.2
3.37%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.30$15.30
$10.39MX$178
47.26%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.45$1.45
$1.72MX$29.59
-15.70%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04$2.04
$2.61MX$44.85
-21.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Añasco
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$0.54MX$9.30
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$26.94MX$462
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
-
$3.13MX$53.7
-
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.54$1.54
$2.51MX$43.09
-38.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.92$14.92
$3.15MX$54.1
373.65%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.95$0.95
$1.27MX$21.88
-25.20%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.6K$35.6K
$30.4KMX$521.3K
17.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K$26.6K
$23.6KMX$404.5K
13.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Añasco
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$351$351
$83.0MX$1,425
322.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$80.3$80.3
$22.71MX$390
253.54%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$74.6$74.6
$29.46MX$506
153.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Añasco
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$30.25$30.25
$51.0MX$875
-40.69%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.33MX$315
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.38$8.38
$4.93MX$84.5
69.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Añasco
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$400$400
$197MX$3,386
102.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,750$4,750
$5,280MX$90.6K
-10.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Añasco
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$28.68$28.68
$36.90MX$633
-22.28%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.08$30.08
$39.89MX$685
-24.59%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$74.2$74.2
$80.0MX$1,373
-7.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.6$92.6
$89.5MX$1,536
3.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Añasco
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$453$453
$956MX$16.4K
-52.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$295$295
$477MX$8,189
-38.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$686$686
$1,646MX$28.3K
-58.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$455$455
$1,225MX$21.0K
-62.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,918MX$67.2K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$6,459MX$110.9K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Añasco
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$667MX$11.4K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.71
11.42
-50.00%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Añasco: June 8, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $453 in Añasco and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $50.0 in Añasco vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $326 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
Añasco vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Añasco and Playa del Carmen?
Añasco and Playa del Carmen differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($1,466 vs $1,271 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Añasco compared to Playa del Carmen?
You'd need roughly $2,199 in Añasco and $1,906 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Añasco and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $453 in Añasco versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Añasco. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Añasco or Playa del Carmen?
All in, you'll spend $1,466 per month in Añasco versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,466 in Añasco, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Añasco. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Añasco and Playa del Carmen?
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.
Where should expats move: Añasco or Playa del Carmen?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Añasco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.