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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $536 in Abadan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $836 in Abadan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,135 in Abadan.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 142% more expensive than Abadan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Abadan 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.02 $4.02

191.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$16.96 $16.96

145.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.59 $4.59

131.81%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.66 $0.66

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 $1.00

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.10 $1.10

220.00%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.42 $0.42

259.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.94 $0.94

3.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.03 $1.03

33.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.52 $0.52

263.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.93 $1.93

-15.03%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.13 $1.13

122.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.50 $3.50

138.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.17 $3.17

163.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.03 $10.03

6.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$0.92 $0.92

182.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.37 $1.37

6.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$0.83 $0.83

128.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.57 $0.57

264.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.48 $0.48

270.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.49 $0.49

346.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.55 $0.55

89.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.25 $0.25

332.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.52 $0.52

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 $0.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 $1.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.17 $2.17

88.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.22 $0.22

131.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$10.08 $10.08

162.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.34 $0.34

858.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.29 $0.29

758.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$1.98 $1.98

64.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.73 $0.73

79.45%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$71.7K $71.7K

-57.74%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$55.6K $55.6K

-57.90%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$16.05 $16.05

416.32%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$2.12 $2.12

948.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$5.90 $5.90

397.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$16.08 $16.08

221.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$12.56 $12.56

45.86%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$1.52 $1.52

233.55%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$115 $115

74.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$1,968 $1,968

164.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$22.66 $22.66

62.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$24.53 $24.53

62.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$109 $109

-27.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$71.2 $71.2

22.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$288 $288

238.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$203 $203

130.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$628 $628

161.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$323 $323

277.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$710 $710

456.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,055 $1,055

515.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$453 $453

46.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

22.24

-48.65%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Abadan: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $288 in Abadan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 47% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $17.00 in Abadan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $111 per month, with Abadan 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

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

Abadan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 142% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 47% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $288 in Abadan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Abadan – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $536 in Abadan – a 142% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $536 in Abadan versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Abadan but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Abadan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Abadan 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.

Expats usually find Abadan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 142% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.