Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Aberdare

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,363 in Aberdare, rent and utilities included – about $13,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Aberdare, United Kingdom
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Aberdare
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,363
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Aberdare

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Aberdare actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,363 in Aberdare, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Aberdare $2,363

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,514 in Aberdare, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Aberdare $3,514

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,664 in Aberdare, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Aberdare $4,664

Playa del Carmen is about 49% cheaper than Aberdare, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Playa del Carmen sits 12% below the global median, while Aberdare is 74% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Aberdare
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$205
$23.87 £17.83
-54.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$814
$111 £82.9
-60.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$221
$10.58 £7.90
11.34%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.5
$5.29 £3.95
-27.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$24.07
$2.69 £2.01
-52.42%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.70
$1.75 £1.30
-55.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.5
$7.84 £5.85
-59.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.7
$6.76 £5.05
-27.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Aberdare
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.40
$1.38 £1.03
2.17%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.62
$1.49 £1.11
48.99%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.61
$2.01 £1.50
-29.35%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.36
$1.56 £1.16
61.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$136
$8.14 £6.08
-10.81%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$144
$9.53 £7.12
-19.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$238
$12.85 £9.60
-1.25%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$52.3
$1.35 £1.01
105.93%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.68
$1.29 £0.97
6.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.89
$1.30 £0.97
96.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.86
$4.21 £3.14
-49.64%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.39
$1.31 £0.97
48.09%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.41
$1.35 £1.01
40.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.53
$1.21 £0.91
-4.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$22.13
$2.09 £1.56
-43.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.6
$18.96 £14.15
-77.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$187
$10.82 £8.08
-8.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.73
$1.35 £1.00
17.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$50.1
$1.35 £1.01
97.78%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Aberdare
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.39
$3.67 £2.74
-85.01%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$500
$97.9 £73.1
-72.81%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$93.3
$3.44 £2.57
44.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.5
$1.65 £1.23
101.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$101
$26.74 £19.97
-79.96%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$27.11
$2.14 £1.60
-32.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$388.0K
$39.3K £29.3K
-47.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$440.5K
$40.8K £30.5K
-42.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Aberdare
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,592
$321 £240
-73.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$439
$17.50 £13.07
33.77%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$538
$39.45 £29.45
-27.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Aberdare
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,071
$46.89 £35.01
21.67%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$543
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$96.5
$13.85 £10.34
-62.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Aberdare
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,878
$1,570 £1,172
-86.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.7K
$25.1K £18.7K
-84.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Aberdare
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$814
$99.0 £73.9
-56.21%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$778
$48.12 £35.93
-13.88%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,393
$106 £79.1
-29.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,676
$98.4 £73.5
-9.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Aberdare
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.4K
$1,233 £920
-20.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,150
$1,009 £753
-62.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$32.1K
$2,108 £1,574
-18.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.2K
$1,636 £1,221
-34.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$74.0K
$5,008 £3,739
-21.27%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$115.6K
$3,903 £2,914
57.78%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Aberdare
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.8K
$3,636 £2,715
-79.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
4.87
135.11%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Aberdare: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Aberdare
$1K 165% $628
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Aberdare
$262 2.8% $7.2
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Aberdare
$357 76.3% $154
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Aberdare
$378 177% $242
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Aberdare
$158 41.6% $46
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Aberdare
$75 10.8% $7.3
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Aberdare
$124 146% $74

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,233 in Aberdare. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Aberdare are about 5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $111 in Aberdare. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $262 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇬🇧 Aberdare
🕒 Local time
13:11 1:11 PM
18:11 6:11 PM
5 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
29,748
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.747 GBP (1 GBP = 1.34 USD). 1 EUR = 0.834 GBP (1 GBP = 1.2 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Aberdare 7,790 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Aberdare

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Aberdare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Aberdare?
Aberdare costs about 96% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen and in Aberdare?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,545 in Aberdare. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Playa del Carmen or Aberdare?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $980 there versus $1,233 in Aberdare.
How much does it cost to live in Playa del Carmen compared to Aberdare?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $2,363 in Aberdare. That makes Playa del Carmen about 49% cheaper.
How expensive is transport in Playa del Carmen compared to Aberdare?
Public transport costs about 73% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Playa del Carmen or in Aberdare?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Aberdare at $2,363. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Aberdare it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Playa del Carmen or to Aberdare?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Aberdare makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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