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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,307 per month in Atenas vs $1,262 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,274 per month in Atenas vs $2,158 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,240 per month in Atenas vs $3,054 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Atenas costs about 4% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Atenas and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Atenas 3% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.97 ₡4,100

$11.61 MX$201

-22.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.4 ₡23.9K

$42.75 MX$742

22.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.01 ₡4,571

$10.60 MX$184

-5.57%

Cappuccino

$3.75 ₡1,714

$3.59 MX$62.3

4.46%

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

$1.98 ₡904

$1.45 MX$25.21

36.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ₡718

$0.90 MX$15.58

74.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.06 ₡1,398

$3.03 MX$52.6

0.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 ₡2,111

$4.56 MX$79.2

1.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ₡939

$1.45 MX$25.20

42.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 ₡1,307

$1.83 MX$31.72

56.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 ₡888

$1.61 MX$27.92

20.50%

Eggs

$3.01 ₡1,374

$2.54 MX$44.05

18.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.73 ₡4,445

$8.54 MX$148

13.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.74 ₡3,994

$8.47 MX$147

3.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.21 ₡4,205

$10.86 MX$189

-15.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 ₡1,774

$2.73 MX$47.37

42.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₡661

$1.49 MX$25.91

-2.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 ₡1,121

$1.94 MX$33.73

26.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 ₡982

$2.16 MX$37.57

-0.46%

Potato (1kg)

$3.34 ₡1,525

$1.85 MX$32.05

80.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,106

$2.19 MX$38.00

10.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₡463

$1.07 MX$18.62

-5.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 ₡1,293

$1.08 MX$18.81

162.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.33 ₡2,434

$4.06 MX$70.5

31.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.06 ₡8,250

$10.46 MX$182

72.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 ₡1,129

$1.65 MX$28.71

49.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₡1,085

$2.55 MX$44.23

-6.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 ₡928

$0.56 MX$9.65

262.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.20 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 ₡817

$3.14 MX$54.5

-42.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 ₡814

$2.37 MX$41.17

-24.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 ₡3,665

$3.24 MX$56.2

147.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 ₡635

$1.31 MX$22.81

6.11%

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

$38.2K ₡17.5M

$30.5K MX$530.2K

25.09%

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

$32.5K ₡14.9M

$23.8K MX$413.6K

36.56%

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

$92.7 ₡42.3K

$83.1 MX$1,443

11.47%

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

$26.18 ₡12.0K

$22.15 MX$385

18.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.67 ₡21.8K

$29.37 MX$510

62.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.90 ₡18.7K

$51.2 MX$889

-20.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.86 ₡4,506

$18.69 MX$324

-47.24%

Cinema Ticket

$8.30 ₡3,792

$4.89 MX$84.9

69.73%

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

$562 ₡256.6K

$199 MX$3,449

182.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,050 ₡2.8M

$5,207 MX$90.4K

16.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 ₡28.3K

$35.93 MX$624

72.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.74 ₡22.3K

$39.39 MX$684

23.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 ₡54.2K

$80.3 MX$1,394

47.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ₡49.5K

$87.6 MX$1,520

23.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$548 ₡250.3K

$963 MX$16.7K

-43.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 ₡179.6K

$482 MX$8,370

-18.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,363 ₡622.8K

$1,645 MX$28.6K

-17.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,165 ₡532.2K

$1,192 MX$20.7K

-2.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,957 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,513 MX$113.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,288 ₡588.6K

$726 MX$12.6K

77.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

11.42

-10.95%

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

Last update for Atenas: April 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $548 in Atenas versus $963 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.

Salaries run about 77% higher in Atenas, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52 in Atenas versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $324 vs $253 – making Playa del Carmen 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

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

Yes – Atenas is pricier by about 4%, 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 $1,960 per month in Atenas and $1,894 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 Playa del Carmen, 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 $52.0 in Atenas and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Atenas, 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 Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,262, than in Atenas at $1,307. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Atenas it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Atenas makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.