Cost of Living Comparison Between Antiguo Cuscatlan and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Antiguo Cuscatlan and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $744 per month in Antiguo Cuscatlan vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,200 per month in Antiguo Cuscatlan vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,656 per month in Antiguo Cuscatlan vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Antiguo Cuscatlan is about 43% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Antiguo Cuscatlan and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Antiguo Cuscatlan 45% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.07 $8.07

$11.73 MX$203

-31.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.61 $34.61

$41.62 MX$720

-16.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.04 $7.04

$10.64 MX$184

-33.83%

Cappuccino

$3.26 $3.26

$3.52 MX$60.9

-7.39%

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

$1.15 $1.15

$1.51 MX$26.12

-23.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 $0.84

$0.97 MX$16.84

-13.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.95 MX$51.0

-32.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$4.45 MX$77.0

-31.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.38 MX$23.93

36.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.89 MX$32.72

4.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.64 MX$28.32

-4.88%

Eggs

$2.80 $2.80

$2.51 MX$43.34

11.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.95 $6.95

$8.34 MX$144

-16.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 $6.85

$8.34 MX$144

-17.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.69 $10.69

$10.73 MX$186

-0.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$2.60 MX$45.04

24.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.46 MX$25.20

13.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.90 MX$32.87

35.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.08 MX$35.91

29.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.78 MX$30.71

26.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.19 MX$37.80

-3.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.04 MX$17.99

-3.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.08 MX$18.62

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 $4.11

$4.08 MX$70.6

0.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.11 $11.11

$10.32 MX$178

7.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.71 MX$29.61

3.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.58 MX$44.54

-3.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.65 $5.65

$3.26 MX$56.4

73.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.11 $3.11

$2.49 MX$43.09

24.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.94 $19.94

$3.25 MX$56.2

513.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.31 MX$22.61

-23.66%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-16.12%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

18.23%

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

$105 $105

$82.9 MX$1,433

26.43%

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

$19.31 $19.31

$22.22 MX$384

-13.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.39 $41.39

$29.34 MX$507

41.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.22 $5.22

$5.07 MX$87.6

2.96%

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

$144 $144

$201 MX$3,473

-28.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,955 $5,955

$5,212 MX$90.1K

14.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.2 $68.2

$36.92 MX$639

84.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.63 $42.63

$39.79 MX$688

7.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$78.5 MX$1,357

48.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$87.1 MX$1,506

19.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 $591

$973 MX$16.8K

-39.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.58

11.42

-24.87%

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

Last update for Antiguo Cuscatlan: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $591 in Antiguo Cuscatlan versus $973 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 $35.00 in Antiguo Cuscatlan versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $257 in Antiguo Cuscatlan vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $744 in Antiguo Cuscatlan, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 74% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,115 per month in Antiguo Cuscatlan and $1,945 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 Antiguo Cuscatlan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Antiguo Cuscatlan and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Antiguo Cuscatlan, where all-in costs run around $744, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Antiguo Cuscatlan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $744 in Antiguo Cuscatlan to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Antiguo Cuscatlan. 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.