Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Aberdeen, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,163 in Aberdeen, WA, rent and utilities included – about $11,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Aberdeen, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,163
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Aberdeen, WA

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 Aberdeen, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,163 in Aberdeen, WA.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Aberdeen, WA $2,163

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,102 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,192 in Aberdeen, WA.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,102
  • Aberdeen, WA $3,192

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,000 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,221 in Aberdeen, WA.

  • Playa del Carmen $3,000
  • Aberdeen, WA $4,221

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 44% less than in Aberdeen, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 11% below, Aberdeen, WA is 60% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Aberdeen, WA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.86 MX$201
$24.98 $24.98
-56.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.21 MX$817
$99.0 $99.0
-55.34%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.76 MX$217
$11.98 $11.98
-1.84%
Cappuccino
$3.68 MX$68.0
$5.07 $5.07
-27.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 MX$24.79
$3.06 $3.06
-56.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 MX$15.24
$2.63 $2.63
-68.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.06 MX$56.6
$6.04 $6.04
-49.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.94 MX$91.2
$6.91 $6.91
-28.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Aberdeen, WA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.47 MX$27.17
$1.21 $1.21
21.49%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$40.95
$3.22 $3.22
-31.06%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.48 MX$27.32
$3.60 $3.60
-58.89%
Eggs
$2.49 MX$45.99
$4.88 $4.88
-48.98%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.52 MX$139
$8.39 $8.39
-10.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.96 MX$147
$8.32 $8.32
-4.33%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.57 MX$232
$14.61 $14.61
-13.96%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.3
$5.96 $5.96
-53.36%
Banana (1kg)
$1.43 MX$26.37
$1.86 $1.86
-23.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.62 MX$48.37
$5.22 $5.22
-49.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.14 MX$39.49
$4.53 $4.53
-52.76%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.38
$2.95 $2.95
-31.53%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 MX$36.74
$3.04 $3.04
-34.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.01
$2.87 $2.87
-60.28%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 MX$22.18
$2.42 $2.42
-50.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 MX$78.7
$10.39 $10.39
-59.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.02 MX$185
$13.23 $13.23
-24.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54 MX$28.41
$1.77 $1.77
-12.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 MX$49.17
$2.52 $2.52
5.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Aberdeen, WA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.53 MX$9.73
$0.52 $0.52
1.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.51 MX$508
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.90 MX$90.6
$2.66 $2.66
84.21%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.43 MX$63.5
$1.72 $1.72
99.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.38 MX$99.4
$29.97 $29.97
-82.05%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 MX$26.76
$1.20 $1.20
20.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$391.0K
$33.1K $33.1K
-36.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.0K MX$425.3K
$25.9K $25.9K
-11.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Aberdeen, WA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$85.4 MX$1,577
$305 $305
-72.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.46 MX$434
$70.3 $70.3
-66.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.43 MX$525
$85.7 $85.7
-66.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Aberdeen, WA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$62.2 MX$1,149
$31.24 $31.24
99.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.68 MX$530
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.10 MX$94.3
$5.14 $5.14
-0.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Aberdeen, WA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$201 MX$3,715
$1,050 $1,050
-80.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,947 MX$72.9K
$30.8K $30.8K
-87.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Aberdeen, WA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.39 MX$820
$45.57 $45.57
-2.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.35 MX$764
$28.92 $28.92
42.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.7 MX$1,344
$55.8 $55.8
30.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.6 MX$1,656
$65.6 $65.6
36.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Aberdeen, WA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$979 MX$18.1K
$922 $922
6.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$373 MX$6,887
$827 $827
-54.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,681 MX$31.1K
$1,280 $1,280
31.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,095 MX$20.2K
$1,297 $1,297
-15.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,949 MX$73.0K
$2,935 $2,935
34.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,137 MX$113.4K
$2,993 $2,993
105.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Aberdeen, WA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$738 MX$13.6K
$4,410 $4,410
-83.28%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
6.66
71.92%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Last update for Aberdeen, WA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$373
Aberdeen, WA
$827 122% $454
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$258
Aberdeen, WA
$369 42.9% $111
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Aberdeen, WA
$363 81.5% $163
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Aberdeen, WA
$461 236% $324
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Aberdeen, WA
$88 21% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$72
Aberdeen, WA
$42 42.7% $31
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$52
Aberdeen, WA
$13 * 74.2% $38

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $979 in Playa del Carmen and $922 in Aberdeen, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aberdeen, WA pays 498% 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: $44.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $99.0 in Aberdeen, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $369 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇺🇸 Aberdeen, WA
🕒 Local time
11:27 11:27 AM
09:27 9:27 AM
2 h behind Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
24,071
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Aberdeen, WA 4,420 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Aberdeen, WA

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 Aberdeen, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Aberdeen, WA cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 80% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Playa del Carmen or Aberdeen, WA?
On paper, salaries run 498% lower in Aberdeen, WA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Playa del Carmen and Aberdeen, WA?
Rent for a central apartment: $979 in Playa del Carmen versus $922 in Aberdeen, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,050 in Aberdeen, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or in Aberdeen, WA?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $99.0 in Aberdeen, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Aberdeen, WA?
At $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,163 in Aberdeen, WA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Aberdeen, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Playa del Carmen or Aberdeen, WA more family-friendly?
For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Aberdeen, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Aberdeen, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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