Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Abano Terme Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Abano Terme

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,702 in Abano Terme.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,590 in Abano Terme.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,477 in Abano Terme.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 24% less than in Abano Terme, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Abano Terme is 27% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$17.67 €15.21

-33.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

$74.1 €63.8

-43.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$11.71 €10.08

-9.14%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

$1.90 €1.64

85.26%

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

$3.01 €2.59

-49.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$1.32 €1.14

-26.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$5.95 €5.12

-50.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$5.31 €4.57

-16.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.90

$1.59 €1.37

-13.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

$2.20 €1.90

-14.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$2.80 €2.41

-41.43%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$3.94 €3.39

-36.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$16.04 €13.81

-48.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$12.20 €10.50

-31.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

$19.30 €16.62

-44.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$2.39 €2.06

8.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$2.00 €1.72

-27.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$2.66 €2.29

-28.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$3.20 €2.76

-35.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$1.75 €1.51

1.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$1.70 €1.47

28.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

$1.49 €1.28

-30.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.49 €0.43

120.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

$6.97 €6.00

-41.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$7.01 €6.03

47.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

$1.65 €1.42

3.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

$2.44 €2.10

5.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.73 €1.49

-70.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

$43.42 €37.38

-39.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$5.64 €4.85

-42.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

$1.57 €1.35

58.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$34.58 €29.77

-90.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$2.11 €1.81

-37.91%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

$32.9K €28.3K

-8.00%

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

$32.8K €28.2K

-28.50%

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$214 €184

-61.28%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$13.17 €11.34

68.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$30.78 €26.49

-4.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

$54.2 €46.66

-4.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$23.50 €20.23

-22.04%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

$10.30 €8.87

-50.78%

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

$201 MX$3,470

$562 €484

-64.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$7,974 €6,865

-34.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

$86.6 €74.5

-57.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$37.71 €32.46

5.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

$93.1 €80.1

-15.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

$130 €112

-32.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$750 €646

29.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

$580 €499

-19.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,228 €1,057

33.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$927 €798

31.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

$2,491 €2,145

58.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

$2,356 €2,028

175.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$2,714 €2,336

-75.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.45

156.63%

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 Abano Terme: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $750 in Abano Terme. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Abano Terme pays 309% 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 $74.0 in Abano Terme for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $330 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Abano Terme earns 309% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $750 in Abano Terme. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Abano Terme. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $74.0 in Abano Terme. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,702 in Abano Terme, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Abano Terme. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Abano Terme, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Abano Terme are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Abano Terme. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.