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: $678 in Azua versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,104 in Azua versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,530 in Azua versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Azua costs roughly 48% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Azua 51% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.28 DOP 488

$11.96 MX$203

-30.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.64 DOP 2,455

$47.38 MX$804

-12.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.36 DOP 434

$11.75 MX$199

-37.36%

Cappuccino

$1.38 DOP 81.6

$4.12 MX$70.0

-66.50%

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

$0.73 DOP 43.31

$1.40 MX$23.74

-47.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 DOP 22.53

$0.91 MX$15.48

-58.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 DOP 151

$3.21 MX$54.4

-20.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 DOP 238

$7.07 MX$120

-43.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 DOP 71.0

$1.68 MX$28.44

-28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 DOP 104

$2.15 MX$36.48

-18.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 DOP 61.6

$1.77 MX$30.10

-40.68%

Eggs

$1.47 DOP 86.5

$2.82 MX$47.76

-47.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.30 DOP 372

$9.20 MX$156

-31.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 DOP 217

$9.23 MX$157

-60.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.73 DOP 279

$12.64 MX$214

-62.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.82 DOP 225

$2.95 MX$50.1

29.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 DOP 83.3

$1.58 MX$26.79

-10.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.33 DOP 196

$2.22 MX$37.70

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 DOP 129

$2.36 MX$40.09

-6.78%

Potato (1kg)

$3.63 DOP 214

$1.99 MX$33.81

82.41%

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 DOP 178

$1.98 MX$33.58

52.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 DOP 55.5

$1.24 MX$21.04

-24.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 DOP 96.5

$1.21 MX$20.55

35.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.02 DOP 296

$4.60 MX$78.1

9.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.04 DOP 1,004

$10.52 MX$178

61.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.10 DOP 183

$1.69 MX$28.70

83.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 DOP 211

$2.77 MX$47.06

29.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 DOP 152

$5.24 MX$88.8

-50.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.33 DOP 197

$3.65 MX$61.9

-8.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 DOP 84.8

$1.54 MX$26.09

-6.49%

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

$15.5K DOP 914.2K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

-32.00%

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

$25.5K DOP 1.5M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-1.22%

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

$95.7 DOP 5,641

$90.7 MX$1,538

5.51%

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

$27.71 DOP 1,634

$25.19 MX$427

10.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.88 DOP 2,351

$31.75 MX$539

25.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.00 DOP 1,179

$68.8 MX$1,167

-70.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$5.21 DOP 307

$4.86 MX$82.5

7.20%

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

$153 DOP 9,018

$226 MX$3,828

-32.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,651 DOP 333.2K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

34.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.82 DOP 1,581

$47.38 MX$804

-43.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.97 DOP 2,769

$43.45 MX$737

8.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.5 DOP 3,684

$80.2 MX$1,361

-22.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.9 DOP 4,004

$91.4 MX$1,550

-25.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,663 DOP 216.0K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-9.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-3.93%

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

Last update for Azua: September 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $42.00 in Azua vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $278 per month, with Azua 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 Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 93% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,017 in Azua and $1,958 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $678 per month in Azua versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – a 93% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $678 in Azua versus $1,305 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 93% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.