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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $857 in Abaetetuba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,353 in Abaetetuba, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,848 in Abaetetuba, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 48% more than Abaetetuba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Abaetetuba are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Abaetetuba 37% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Abaetetuba
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.60 MX$200
$5.12 R$26.33
126.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.11 MX$811
$31.58 R$162
49.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.88 MX$205
$7.07 R$36.35
68.03%
Cappuccino
$3.98 MX$68.5
$2.01 R$10.32
98.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43 MX$24.57
$1.23 R$6.35
16.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 MX$14.20
$0.66 R$3.39
24.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.19 MX$54.9
$1.77 R$9.08
80.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.79 MX$117
$3.15 R$16.20
115.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Abaetetuba
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 MX$28.85
$1.18 R$6.05
42.37%
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 MX$37.83
$1.52 R$7.82
44.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.71 MX$29.41
$1.37 R$7.02
24.82%
Eggs
$2.74 MX$47.20
$2.22 R$11.42
23.42%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.58 MX$165
$9.82 R$50.5
-2.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.01 MX$155
$4.60 R$23.64
95.87%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.81 MX$221
$7.18 R$36.91
78.41%
Apples (1kg)
$2.89 MX$49.74
$2.34 R$12.04
23.50%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$25.78
$1.22 R$6.26
22.95%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.15 MX$36.98
$1.10 R$5.65
95.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.26 MX$38.91
$1.41 R$7.26
60.28%
Potato (1kg)
$1.98 MX$34.10
$1.22 R$6.30
62.30%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 MX$34.26
$1.00 R$5.12
99.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.23 MX$21.25
$0.74 R$3.83
66.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 MX$20.60
$0.81 R$4.17
48.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.55 MX$78.3
$2.77 R$14.25
64.26%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.37 MX$179
$8.19 R$42.11
26.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 MX$27.88
$1.05 R$5.42
54.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 MX$49.60
$1.86 R$9.58
54.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Abaetetuba
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.60 MX$10.34
$0.87 R$4.47
-31.03%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.80 MX$496
$44.09 R$227
-34.68%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 MX$92.8
$1.28 R$6.58
321.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.73 MX$64.2
$0.84 R$4.30
344.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.77 MX$99.3
$7.66 R$39.37
-24.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 MX$26.45
$1.13 R$5.81
36.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5K MX$388.3K
$26.5K R$136.1K
-14.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1K MX$448.7K
$36.2K R$186.3K
-28.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Abaetetuba
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$91.4 MX$1,573
$71.3 R$367
28.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.20 MX$434
$11.02 R$56.7
128.68%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.24 MX$538
$20.55 R$106
52.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Abaetetuba
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 MX$1,157
$21.70 R$112
209.68%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.11 MX$501
$30.73 R$158
-5.27%
Cinema Ticket
$4.86 MX$83.7
$6.07 R$31.20
-19.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Abaetetuba
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$224 MX$3,851
$254 R$1,306
-11.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,229 MX$72.8K
$7,221 R$37.1K
-41.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Abaetetuba
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.10 MX$811
$45.99 R$236
2.41%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.29 MX$763
$51.6 R$266
-14.22%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.1 MX$1,379
$98.3 R$505
-18.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.7 MX$1,596
$79.6 R$409
16.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Abaetetuba
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,063 MX$18.3K
$316 R$1,627
235.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$390 MX$6,719
$235 R$1,211
65.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,149 MX$37.0K
$642 R$3,299
234.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,272 MX$21.9K
$461 R$2,372
175.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,001 MX$68.9K
$1,483 R$7,627
169.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,502 MX$112.0K
$1,051 R$5,404
518.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Abaetetuba
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$758 MX$13.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
11.06
3.53%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Abaetetuba: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $316 in Abaetetuba. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $32.00 in Abaetetuba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $190 – making Abaetetuba 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 Abaetetuba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Abaetetuba cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 48%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,286 in Abaetetuba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Abaetetuba, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 53% less in Abaetetuba. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $254 in Abaetetuba. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Abaetetuba?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Abaetetuba, where all-in costs run around $857, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Abaetetuba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Abaetetuba more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Abaetetuba – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Abaetetuba. 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.

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