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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $515 in Aba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $745 in Aba, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $975 in Aba, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 144% more than Aba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Aba are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Aba 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$5.29 ₦7,279

126.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$10.44 ₦14.4K

300.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$5.17 ₦7,107

107.93%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.38 ₦521

281.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.27 ₦374

225.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.03 ₦1,415

186.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$1.29 ₦1,768

249.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$2.04 ₦2,808

-9.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$4.10 ₦5,645

-61.71%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.45 ₦3,373

2.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$1.59 ₦2,187

420.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$5.53 ₦7,602

52.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$0.37 ₦511

429.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.51 ₦695

309.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.29 ₦1,772

43.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.50 ₦683

334.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$1.18 ₦1,627

247.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$7.36 ₦10.1K

38.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.54 ₦737

-5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.51 ₦697

533.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.48 ₦664

402.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$2.11 ₦2,896

53.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.67 ₦919

97.01%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

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

$22.95 MX$400

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$12.79 ₦17.6K

306.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$6.67 ₦9,175

177.81%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

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

$197 MX$3,438

$90.6 ₦124.6K

117.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$21.12 ₦29.1K

68.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$15.59 ₦21.5K

158.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$527 ₦725.2K

79.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$313 ₦429.9K

51.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$765 ₦1.1M

114.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$457 ₦629.3K

164.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,035 ₦1.4M

291.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$455 ₦625.8K

1322.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$93.1 ₦128.1K

602.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Aba: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $527 in Aba. 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 602% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $10.00 in Aba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $103 – making Aba 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 144%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $772 in Aba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aba, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $515 in Aba. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $90.6 in Aba. 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 Aba, where all-in costs run around $515, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Aba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Aba – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Aba. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.