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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,340 per month in Auce vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,990 per month in Auce vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,641 per month in Auce vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Auce costs about 3% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Auce sits 0% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.79 €10.14

$11.73 MX$203

0.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.6 €49.57

$41.62 MX$720

38.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.69 €6.61

$10.64 MX$184

-27.73%

Cappuccino

$3.36 €2.89

$3.52 MX$60.9

-4.55%

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

$1.80 €1.54

$1.51 MX$26.12

19.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.12

$0.97 MX$16.84

35.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.80 €4.13

$2.95 MX$51.0

62.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 €2.66

$4.45 MX$77.0

-30.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.14

$1.38 MX$23.93

-4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 €1.40

$1.89 MX$32.72

-13.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.04 €2.61

$1.64 MX$28.32

85.37%

Eggs

$3.19 €2.75

$2.51 MX$43.34

27.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 €10.07

$8.34 MX$144

40.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.61 €6.54

$8.34 MX$144

-8.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.05 €10.37

$10.73 MX$186

12.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.38 €1.19

$2.60 MX$45.04

-46.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.46 MX$25.20

17.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 €2.25

$1.90 MX$32.87

37.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.57 €3.07

$2.08 MX$35.91

71.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 €0.82

$1.78 MX$30.71

-46.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 €0.86

$2.19 MX$37.80

-54.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.04 MX$17.99

65.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 €0.75

$1.08 MX$18.62

-19.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.35 €4.61

$4.08 MX$70.6

31.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.71 MX$29.61

4.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 €1.89

$2.58 MX$44.54

-15.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 €0.83

$0.51 MX$8.81

90.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.77 €31.63

$26.46 MX$458

38.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 €2.10

$3.26 MX$56.4

-25.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 €0.74

$2.49 MX$43.09

-65.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.49 €9.88

$3.25 MX$56.2

253.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 €1.60

$1.31 MX$22.61

42.75%

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

$30.9K €26.6K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

2.08%

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

$31.8K €27.4K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

35.93%

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

$314 €270

$82.9 MX$1,433

278.75%

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

$17.20 €14.79

$22.22 MX$384

-22.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.56 €16.83

$29.34 MX$507

-33.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.6 €43.56

$51.6 MX$893

-1.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$11.67 €10.03

$5.07 MX$87.6

130.18%

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

$537 €462

$201 MX$3,473

167.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K €13.2K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

194.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.5 €77.8

$36.92 MX$639

145.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.68 €40.15

$39.79 MX$688

17.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.4 €83.8

$78.5 MX$1,357

24.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 €114

$87.1 MX$1,506

52.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 €312

$973 MX$16.8K

-62.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 €222

$468 MX$8,090

-44.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$751 €646

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-54.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 €388

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-63.06%

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 %)

4.1

11.42

-64.10%

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

Last update for Auce: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $363 in Auce 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 $58.0 in Auce versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $245 in Auce vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Auce 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

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

Auce costs about 3% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,010 per month in Auce 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 Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $537 per month in Auce and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Auce – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Auce at $1,340. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Auce it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,297 versus $1,340 in Auce. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Auce makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.