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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $908 in Azua versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,262 in Azua versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,616 in Azua versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Azua costs roughly 28% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Azua 32% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.44 DOP 490

$11.72 MX$204

-27.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.97 DOP 2,899

$41.89 MX$731

19.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.24 DOP 420

$10.51 MX$183

-31.11%

Cappuccino

$1.33 DOP 77.1

$3.59 MX$62.5

-62.95%

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

$1.03 DOP 60.0

$1.51 MX$26.31

-31.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 DOP 48.75

$0.92 MX$15.96

-8.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 DOP 146

$2.96 MX$51.6

-15.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 DOP 286

$4.41 MX$76.9

12.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 DOP 69.9

$1.40 MX$24.35

-13.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 DOP 99.5

$1.88 MX$32.87

-9.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 DOP 62.9

$1.56 MX$27.19

-30.77%

Eggs

$1.64 DOP 95.1

$2.61 MX$45.50

-37.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.23 DOP 419

$8.32 MX$145

-13.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.49 DOP 376

$8.35 MX$146

-22.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 DOP 627

$10.86 MX$189

-0.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 DOP 192

$2.71 MX$47.31

21.77%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 DOP 54.0

$1.51 MX$26.25

-38.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 DOP 176

$1.87 MX$32.67

62.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.94 DOP 112

$2.19 MX$38.19

-11.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 DOP 146

$1.86 MX$32.40

35.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 DOP 135

$2.23 MX$38.90

4.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 DOP 65.7

$1.07 MX$18.63

5.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 DOP 54.8

$1.09 MX$18.94

-13.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.93 DOP 344

$4.19 MX$73.0

41.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.94 DOP 982

$10.43 MX$182

62.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 DOP 157

$1.66 MX$28.91

62.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 DOP 179

$2.61 MX$45.56

18.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 DOP 193

$3.08 MX$53.7

7.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 DOP 124

$2.40 MX$41.94

-10.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.88 DOP 341

$3.13 MX$54.5

87.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 DOP 73.9

$1.31 MX$22.87

-3.05%

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

$26.4K DOP 1.5M

$29.8K MX$519.9K

-11.53%

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

$29.7K DOP 1.7M

$23.3K MX$406.8K

27.23%

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

$75.7 DOP 4,392

$81.3 MX$1,418

-6.85%

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

$25.29 DOP 1,467

$22.56 MX$393

12.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.71 DOP 2,072

$30.05 MX$524

18.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 DOP 386

$4.92 MX$85.8

35.16%

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

$273 DOP 15.8K

$201 MX$3,502

35.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,993 DOP 463.6K

$5,175 MX$90.2K

54.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 DOP 3,490

$35.92 MX$627

67.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.8 DOP 3,002

$40.13 MX$700

28.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 DOP 5,582

$79.7 MX$1,390

20.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 DOP 6,695

$86.5 MX$1,508

33.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 DOP 11.9K

$470 MX$8,206

-56.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,702 DOP 214.8K

$3,953 MX$69.0K

-6.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.9

11.42

12.96%

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

Last update for Azua: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $50.0 in Azua vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $252 vs $252, with Azua cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Azua is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,363 in Azua and $1,890 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $908 per month in Azua versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $908 in Azua versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Azua but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Azua the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Azua 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.

Safety-wise, Azua and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Azua gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.