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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $793 in Assis versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,236 in Assis versus $2,130 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,679 in Assis versus $2,999 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Assis costs roughly 37% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Assis 41% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.27 R$26.20

$11.67 MX$202

-54.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.15 R$135

$41.88 MX$726

-35.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.48 R$32.20

$10.40 MX$180

-37.69%

Cappuccino

$1.78 R$8.87

$3.61 MX$62.6

-50.69%

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

$1.11 R$5.53

$1.47 MX$25.45

-24.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.11

$0.91 MX$15.80

-30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 R$9.18

$3.03 MX$52.6

-38.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 R$13.58

$4.47 MX$77.4

-38.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 R$4.59

$1.38 MX$23.83

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 R$6.08

$1.84 MX$31.93

-33.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 R$9.18

$1.61 MX$27.82

14.91%

Eggs

$1.39 R$6.90

$2.57 MX$44.52

-45.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.96 R$34.58

$8.49 MX$147

-18.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.64 R$23.05

$8.49 MX$147

-45.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.08 R$40.14

$10.99 MX$190

-26.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 R$11.02

$2.73 MX$47.25

-18.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 R$5.30

$1.50 MX$25.92

-28.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.47

$1.96 MX$33.93

-43.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 R$8.63

$2.12 MX$36.70

-17.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 R$9.20

$1.86 MX$32.30

-0.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 R$5.43

$2.17 MX$37.67

-49.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 R$3.96

$1.07 MX$18.59

-25.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 R$4.63

$1.05 MX$18.18

-11.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.10 R$10.42

$4.19 MX$72.6

-49.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.12 R$30.41

$10.28 MX$178

-40.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 R$6.23

$1.67 MX$28.87

-25.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 R$10.38

$2.49 MX$43.12

-16.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 R$4.31

$0.54 MX$9.37

61.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.16 R$190

$26.27 MX$455

45.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 R$5.46

$3.10 MX$53.8

-64.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 R$3.45

$2.46 MX$42.66

-71.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.23 R$30.97

$3.24 MX$56.1

92.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 R$5.14

$1.26 MX$21.83

-18.25%

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

$20.4K R$101.5K

$30.2K MX$522.8K

-32.33%

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

$27.6K R$137.3K

$23.4K MX$406.3K

17.85%

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

$60.1 R$299

$84.0 MX$1,456

-28.49%

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

$13.53 R$67.2

$22.21 MX$385

-39.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.54 R$92.1

$29.65 MX$514

-37.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.40 R$111

$52.6 MX$912

-57.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.87 R$109

$18.34 MX$318

19.25%

Cinema Ticket

$6.24 R$31.01

$4.95 MX$85.7

26.06%

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

$273 R$1,358

$198 MX$3,438

37.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,450 R$32.1K

$5,322 MX$92.2K

21.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.24 R$245

$35.95 MX$623

36.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.20 R$210

$40.06 MX$694

5.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 R$383

$78.8 MX$1,365

-2.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.4 R$315

$86.5 MX$1,499

-26.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$312 R$1,548

$977 MX$16.9K

-68.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$213 R$1,056

$471 MX$8,158

-54.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 R$2,904

$1,595 MX$27.6K

-63.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 R$2,150

$1,215 MX$21.1K

-64.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,761 R$8,754

$4,032 MX$69.9K

-56.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,103 R$5,481

$6,579 MX$114.0K

-83.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 R$2,935

$714 MX$12.4K

-17.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

11.42

-4.38%

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

Last update for Assis: April 22, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $312 in Assis and $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 21% 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: $27 in Assis vs $42 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $178 vs $252 per month, with Assis 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

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

Assis is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 59% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 21% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $312 in Assis versus $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Assis runs roughly 45% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $273 in Assis versus $198 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $793 in Assis versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Assis but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Assis the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Assis is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Assis gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.