Cost of Living Comparison Between Naucalpan de Juárez and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Naucalpan de Juárez and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,189 in Naucalpan de Juárez versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,954 in Naucalpan de Juárez versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,718 in Naucalpan de Juárez versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Naucalpan de Juárez costs roughly 8% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Naucalpan de Juárez 11% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Naucalpan de Juárez
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.19 MX$230
$11.94 MX$208
10.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.7 MX$917
$42.75 MX$744
23.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.75 MX$135
$10.59 MX$184
-26.82%
Cappuccino
$3.62 MX$63.0
$3.62 MX$63.0
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.62 MX$28.15
$1.47 MX$25.54
10.20%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.17 MX$20.34
$0.94 MX$16.41
24.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.12 MX$54.4
$3.09 MX$53.8
0.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.78 MX$83.3
$4.46 MX$77.6
7.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Naucalpan de Juárez
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$24.50
$1.43 MX$24.80
-1.40%
White Bread (500g)
$2.72 MX$47.41
$1.88 MX$32.79
44.68%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.95 MX$33.92
$1.63 MX$28.34
19.63%
Eggs
$2.53 MX$44.10
$2.64 MX$45.99
-4.17%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.02 MX$139
$8.21 MX$143
-2.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.58 MX$201
$8.29 MX$144
39.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.75 MX$239
$11.10 MX$193
23.87%
Apples (1kg)
$2.88 MX$50.0
$2.65 MX$46.14
8.68%
Banana (1kg)
$1.71 MX$29.76
$1.50 MX$26.11
14.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.08 MX$36.12
$1.99 MX$34.59
4.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.67 MX$46.46
$2.08 MX$36.13
28.37%
Potato (1kg)
$2.50 MX$43.53
$1.79 MX$31.11
39.66%
Onion (1kg)
$3.02 MX$52.6
$2.18 MX$37.87
38.53%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.57 MX$27.38
$1.08 MX$18.73
45.37%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 MX$18.92
$1.04 MX$18.04
4.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$74.9
$3.97 MX$69.1
8.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.34 MX$249
$10.20 MX$178
40.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.81 MX$31.52
$1.73 MX$30.04
4.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 MX$64.1
$2.50 MX$43.46
47.20%
🚌 Getting Around
Naucalpan de Juárez
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.65 MX$11.23
$0.52 MX$9.02
25.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$26.97 MX$469
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.36 MX$23.69
$3.14 MX$54.7
-56.69%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.28 MX$4.85
$2.40 MX$41.80
-88.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.55 MX$96.6
$3.09 MX$53.7
79.61%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.26 MX$21.87
$1.27 MX$22.16
-0.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.3K MX$318.2K
$30.9K MX$537.3K
-40.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.3K MX$370.7K
$23.3K MX$405.7K
-8.63%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Naucalpan de Juárez
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$40.70 MX$708
$82.0 MX$1,427
-50.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.08 MX$454
$22.45 MX$391
16.17%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.24 MX$526
$29.66 MX$516
1.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Naucalpan de Juárez
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.43 MX$617
$51.9 MX$903
-31.69%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.09 MX$280
$18.67 MX$325
-13.82%
Cinema Ticket
$6.50 MX$113
$4.97 MX$86.5
30.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Naucalpan de Juárez
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$349 MX$6,069
$198 MX$3,442
76.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,558 MX$61.9K
$5,273 MX$91.7K
-32.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Naucalpan de Juárez
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8 MX$1,006
$36.34 MX$632
59.14%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.67 MX$795
$40.05 MX$697
14.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 MX$1,824
$79.9 MX$1,390
31.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 MX$1,854
$88.9 MX$1,547
19.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Naucalpan de Juárez
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$506 MX$8,811
$963 MX$16.8K
-47.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$390 MX$6,787
$465 MX$8,086
-16.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$943 MX$16.4K
$1,596 MX$27.8K
-40.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$772 MX$13.4K
$1,209 MX$21.0K
-36.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,746 MX$30.4K
$3,942 MX$68.6K
-55.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,264 MX$22.0K
$6,448 MX$112.2K
-80.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Naucalpan de Juárez
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$720 MX$12.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.5
11.42
0.70%

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

Last update for Naucalpan de Juárez: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $506 in Naucalpan de Juárez and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Naucalpan de Juárez vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $307 vs $251 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
Naucalpan de Juárez vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Naucalpan de Juárez or Playa del Carmen?
Naucalpan de Juárez wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Naucalpan de Juárez the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Naucalpan de Juárez vs Playa del Carmen?
You'd need roughly $1,784 in Naucalpan de Juárez and $1,930 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Naucalpan de Juárez vs Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $506 in Naucalpan de Juárez versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Naucalpan de Juárez or Playa del Carmen?
Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 22% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How much does it cost to live in Naucalpan de Juárez compared to Playa del Carmen?
All in, you'll spend $1,189 per month in Naucalpan de Juárez versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Naucalpan de Juárez or Playa del Carmen?
At $1,189 in Naucalpan de Juárez versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Naucalpan de Juárez but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Naucalpan de Juárez the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Naucalpan de Juárez or Playa del Carmen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Naucalpan de Juárez delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,189 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Naucalpan de Juárez hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Naucalpan de Juárez gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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