Cost of Living Comparison Between L'Aquila and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between L'Aquila and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,586 per month in L'Aquila vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,454 per month in L'Aquila vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,321 per month in L'Aquila vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

L'Aquila costs about 22% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

L'Aquila sits 18% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.59 €17.73

$11.73 MX$203

75.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.8 €63.6

$41.62 MX$719

77.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.93 €11.14

$10.64 MX$184

21.52%

Cappuccino

$1.79 €1.54

$3.52 MX$60.8

-49.15%

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

$2.78 €2.39

$1.51 MX$26.09

84.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 €1.15

$0.97 MX$16.82

38.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.63 €4.85

$2.95 MX$51.0

90.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.62 €4.84

$4.45 MX$77.0

26.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.38 MX$23.90

8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 €2.47

$1.89 MX$32.69

51.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.64 MX$28.29

44.51%

Eggs

$3.41 €2.93

$2.51 MX$43.30

35.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.32 €11.46

$8.34 MX$144

59.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.51 €10.77

$8.34 MX$144

50.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.35 €14.94

$10.73 MX$185

61.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 €1.92

$2.60 MX$45.00

-14.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$1.46 MX$25.18

26.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.90 MX$32.84

20.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.94 €2.53

$2.08 MX$35.88

41.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 €1.40

$1.78 MX$30.68

-8.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$2.19 MX$37.76

-25.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.27

$1.04 MX$17.97

41.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 €0.34

$1.08 MX$18.60

-63.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.86 €5.91

$4.08 MX$70.5

68.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.76 €4.96

$10.32 MX$178

-44.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.71 MX$29.59

-21.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 €1.47

$2.58 MX$44.50

-33.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.51 MX$8.81

243.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.10 €29.36

$26.46 MX$457

28.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.18 €4.46

$3.26 MX$56.4

58.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 €1.47

$2.49 MX$43.05

-31.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.90 €22.29

$3.25 MX$56.1

696.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 €1.81

$1.31 MX$22.59

60.31%

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

$32.9K €28.3K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

8.73%

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

$33.7K €29.0K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

43.78%

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

$183 €157

$82.9 MX$1,432

120.24%

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

$13.80 €11.88

$22.22 MX$384

-37.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.73 €27.31

$29.34 MX$507

8.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.8 €48.93

$51.6 MX$892

10.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.86 €24.85

$18.32 MX$317

57.53%

Cinema Ticket

$8.90 €7.66

$5.07 MX$87.5

75.54%

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

$538 €463

$201 MX$3,470

167.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,812 €5,004

$5,212 MX$90.1K

11.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.5 €82.2

$36.92 MX$638

158.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.45 €15.03

$39.79 MX$688

-56.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 €79.8

$78.5 MX$1,356

18.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.8 €70.4

$87.1 MX$1,505

-6.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$627 €540

$973 MX$16.8K

-35.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$502 €432

$468 MX$8,082

7.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 €818

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-42.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$797 €686

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-34.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,870 €2,471

$3,946 MX$68.2K

-27.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,728 €1,488

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-73.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,964 €1,691

$664 MX$11.5K

195.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.69

11.42

-67.69%

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

Last update for L'Aquila: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $627 in L'Aquila 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.

Salaries run about 196% higher in L'Aquila, 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 $74.0 in L'Aquila versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $308 vs $249 – 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

L'Aquila vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,586 in L'Aquila, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 22% apart. L'Aquila costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,379 per month in L'Aquila 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.

Public transport costs about 29% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $538 per month in L'Aquila and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in L'Aquila at $1,586. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in L'Aquila it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,297 in Playa del Carmen to $1,586 in L'Aquila. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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