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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $461 per month in Aswan vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $716 per month in Aswan vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $972 per month in Aswan vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Aswan is about 64% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Aswan and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Aswan 66% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.05 E£261

$11.73 MX$203

-56.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.34 E£432

$41.62 MX$719

-79.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.77 E£195

$10.64 MX$184

-64.57%

Cappuccino

$0.93 E£47.94

$3.52 MX$60.8

-73.58%

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

$0.27 E£13.82

$1.51 MX$26.09

-82.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.09 E£4.40

$0.97 MX$16.82

-90.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 E£62.7

$2.95 MX$51.0

-58.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 E£154

$4.45 MX$77.0

-33.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 E£43.80

$1.38 MX$23.90

-38.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 E£30.25

$1.89 MX$32.69

-69.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.70 E£36.05

$1.64 MX$28.29

-57.32%

Eggs

$1.38 E£71.7

$2.51 MX$43.30

-45.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.43 E£177

$8.34 MX$144

-58.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.21 E£218

$8.34 MX$144

-49.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.54 E£442

$10.73 MX$185

-20.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.47 E£75.9

$2.60 MX$45.00

-43.46%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 E£30.44

$1.46 MX$25.18

-59.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.39 E£20.30

$1.90 MX$32.84

-79.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.37 E£18.98

$2.08 MX$35.88

-82.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.40 E£20.80

$1.78 MX$30.68

-77.53%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 E£20.80

$2.19 MX$37.76

-81.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 E£12.44

$1.04 MX$17.97

-76.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.19 E£10.09

$1.08 MX$18.60

-82.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.91 E£99.1

$4.08 MX$70.5

-53.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.99 E£310

$10.32 MX$178

-41.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 E£68.2

$1.71 MX$29.59

-22.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 E£95.6

$2.58 MX$44.50

-28.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 E£8.08

$0.51 MX$8.81

-68.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 E£21.39

$3.26 MX$56.4

-87.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 E£14.93

$2.49 MX$43.05

-88.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 E£99.7

$3.25 MX$56.1

-40.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 E£17.24

$1.31 MX$22.59

-74.81%

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

$36.1K E£1.9M

$30.3K MX$523.2K

19.16%

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

$32.8K E£1.7M

$23.4K MX$404.9K

40.20%

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

$11.93 E£618

$82.9 MX$1,432

-85.60%

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

$6.56 E£340

$22.22 MX$384

-70.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.50 E£544

$29.34 MX$507

-64.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.32 E£1,155

$51.6 MX$892

-56.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$2.88 E£149

$5.07 MX$87.5

-43.20%

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

$88.7 E£4,591

$201 MX$3,470

-55.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,846 E£95.6K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-64.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.66 E£1,432

$36.92 MX$638

-25.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.00 E£2,537

$39.79 MX$688

23.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 E£5,588

$78.5 MX$1,356

37.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.0 E£2,641

$87.1 MX$1,505

-41.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$191 E£9,897

$973 MX$16.8K

-80.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.0 E£5,122

$468 MX$8,082

-78.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$304 E£15.7K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-81.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 E£9,366

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-85.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$766 E£39.7K

$3,946 MX$68.2K

-80.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$429 E£22.2K

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-93.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.67

11.42

45.97%

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

Last update for Aswan: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $191 in Aswan 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 $8.00 in Aswan versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $121 vs $249 – making Aswan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 181%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $692 per month in Aswan 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 Aswan, 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 $8.00 in Aswan and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 105% 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Aswan, where all-in costs run around $461, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Aswan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Aswan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Aswan. 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.