Cost of Living Comparison Between Anchorage, AK and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Anchorage, AK and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,239 in Anchorage, AK versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,864 in Anchorage, AK versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,490 in Anchorage, AK versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Anchorage, AK is roughly 150% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Anchorage, AK is 136% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.69 $22.69

$11.71 MX$199

93.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$46.59 MX$791

117.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.16 $15.16

$11.65 MX$198

30.13%

Cappuccino

$6.69 $6.69

$4.09 MX$69.5

63.57%

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

$3.34 $3.34

$1.37 MX$23.34

143.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$0.83 MX$14.16

226.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.03 $8.03

$3.35 MX$56.9

139.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.95 $9.95

$6.91 MX$117

43.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.73 MX$29.33

-28.90%

White Bread (500g)

$5.01 $5.01

$2.26 MX$38.39

121.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.32 $6.32

$1.77 MX$30.05

257.06%

Eggs

$4.35 $4.35

$2.73 MX$46.41

59.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.87 $13.87

$9.18 MX$156

51.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.78 $12.78

$8.92 MX$151

43.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.48 $22.48

$12.60 MX$214

78.41%

Apples (1kg)

$8.39 $8.39

$3.02 MX$51.3

177.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.57 MX$26.68

49.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.33 $5.33

$2.13 MX$36.10

150.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.24 $6.24

$2.26 MX$38.46

176.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.00 MX$34.04

43.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.06 MX$35.06

69.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.18 MX$20.04

131.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 $2.61

$1.20 MX$20.45

117.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.75 $12.75

$4.63 MX$78.7

175.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 $17.62

$10.69 MX$182

64.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.62 MX$27.50

6.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 $3.40

$2.88 MX$48.93

18.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.57 MX$9.74

256.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.0 $61.0

$29.83 MX$507

104.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 $2.72

$5.45 MX$92.5

-50.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 $1.87

$3.70 MX$62.9

-49.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.60 $42.60

$5.98 MX$102

612.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.55 MX$26.38

-22.58%

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

$33.1K $33.1K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

48.22%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

-0.37%

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

$431 $431

$89.1 MX$1,514

384.08%

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

$90.4 $90.4

$25.04 MX$425

260.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$140 $140

$31.50 MX$535

345.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.5 $90.5

$67.8 MX$1,151

33.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.36 $40.36

$28.92 MX$491

39.56%

Cinema Ticket

$14.72 $14.72

$5.05 MX$85.8

191.49%

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

$1,239 $1,239

$225 MX$3,820

450.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K $10.4K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

146.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.17 $48.17

$47.44 MX$806

1.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.86 $45.86

$44.98 MX$764

1.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 $113

$82.0 MX$1,392

37.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$92.1 MX$1,564

30.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,789 $1,789

$1,069 MX$18.2K

67.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,386 $1,386

$405 MX$6,884

241.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,808 $2,808

$1,935 MX$32.9K

45.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,416 $2,416

$1,301 MX$22.1K

85.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,986 $3,986

$3,995 MX$67.9K

-0.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,789 $2,789

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-57.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,568 $4,568

$749 MX$12.7K

510.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.05

11.45

-47.16%

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

Last update for Anchorage, AK: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,789 in Anchorage, AK and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Anchorage, AK pays 510% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $101 in Anchorage, AK vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $495 vs $277 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

Anchorage, AK vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 150% lower than in Anchorage, AK. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 510% higher in Anchorage, AK, 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: $1,789 in Anchorage, AK versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $101 in Anchorage, AK. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,239 per month in Anchorage, AK versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 150% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,239 in Anchorage, AK, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Anchorage, AK. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,293 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 150% less than in Anchorage, AK. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.