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: $894 in Azua versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,248 in Azua versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,602 in Azua versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Azua costs roughly 30% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Azua 34% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.24 DOP 483

$11.87 MX$204

-30.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 DOP 2,979

$42.90 MX$736

18.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 DOP 442

$10.65 MX$183

-29.20%

Cappuccino

$1.37 DOP 80.3

$3.45 MX$59.2

-60.29%

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

$1.00 DOP 58.4

$1.50 MX$25.81

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 DOP 48.14

$0.95 MX$16.28

-13.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.54 DOP 149

$3.03 MX$51.9

-16.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 DOP 306

$4.61 MX$79.1

13.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 DOP 70.3

$1.38 MX$23.61

-13.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 DOP 106

$1.85 MX$31.70

-2.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 DOP 64.4

$1.61 MX$27.65

-31.68%

Eggs

$1.65 DOP 96.6

$2.59 MX$44.51

-36.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.12 DOP 417

$8.26 MX$142

-13.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.29 DOP 368

$8.37 MX$144

-24.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.08 DOP 649

$10.66 MX$183

3.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 DOP 194

$2.63 MX$45.12

25.86%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 DOP 54.6

$1.49 MX$25.53

-37.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 DOP 178

$1.92 MX$32.94

58.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 DOP 113

$2.09 MX$35.81

-8.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 DOP 143

$1.86 MX$31.88

30.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 DOP 138

$2.26 MX$38.81

3.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 DOP 65.9

$1.06 MX$18.23

5.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 DOP 56.0

$1.09 MX$18.67

-11.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.70 DOP 334

$4.15 MX$71.2

37.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.88 DOP 989

$10.39 MX$178

62.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 DOP 161

$1.72 MX$29.59

59.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 DOP 190

$2.61 MX$44.85

24.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.39 DOP 198

$3.13 MX$53.7

8.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 DOP 123

$2.51 MX$43.09

-16.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 DOP 354

$3.15 MX$54.1

91.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 DOP 74.1

$1.27 MX$21.88

-0.79%

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

$26.5K DOP 1.6M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-12.69%

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

$29.6K DOP 1.7M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

25.75%

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

$76.1 DOP 4,459

$83.0 MX$1,425

-8.29%

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

$25.36 DOP 1,485

$22.71 MX$390

11.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.76 DOP 2,095

$29.46 MX$506

21.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$6.99 DOP 409

$4.93 MX$84.5

41.78%

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

$264 DOP 15.5K

$197 MX$3,386

33.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,141 DOP 476.9K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

54.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.7 DOP 3,554

$36.90 MX$633

64.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.2 DOP 3,059

$39.89 MX$685

30.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 DOP 5,526

$80.0 MX$1,373

17.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 DOP 6,730

$89.5 MX$1,536

28.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 DOP 12.0K

$477 MX$8,189

-56.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,671 DOP 215.1K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-6.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $51.0 in Azua vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $253 vs $250 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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

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

Azua is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,341 in Azua and $1,906 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 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $894 per month in Azua versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $894 in Azua versus $1,271 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 42% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.