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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $792 in Abovyan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,293 in Abovyan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,794 in Abovyan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 59% more than Abovyan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Abovyan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Abovyan 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$10.50 ֏3,836

14.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$53.1 ֏19.4K

-21.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$7.81 ֏2,853

37.64%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$3.50 ֏1,278

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.96 ֏351

51.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.49 ֏179

79.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.79 ֏656

64.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.82 ֏1,395

18.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.64 ֏600

-12.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.89 ֏325

106.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$2.31 ֏845

-32.03%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.34 ֏854

7.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$8.47 ֏3,095

-2.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$7.24 ֏2,646

16.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$12.46 ֏4,555

-14.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.27 ֏465

105.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.68 ֏615

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.76 ֏643

11.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.27 ֏830

-7.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.76 ֏277

143.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.70 ֏257

210.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.90 ֏328

14.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.69 ֏252

55.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$2.60 ֏949

57.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$9.46 ֏3,458

7.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.33 ֏486

26.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.22 ֏810

13.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.54 ֏199

-5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.54 ֏563

109.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.29 ֏105

731.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$4.58 ֏1,674

-29.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.35 ֏492

-2.22%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$31.3K ֏11.4M

-5.04%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$37.2K ֏13.6M

-36.46%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$133 ֏48.5K

-38.22%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$8.94 ֏3,267

156.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$20.40 ֏7,454

47.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$6.59 ֏2,408

-24.43%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$365 ֏133.2K

-45.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$7,601 ֏2.8M

-29.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$108 ֏39.6K

-67.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$60.7 ֏22.2K

-33.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$141 ֏51.7K

-44.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$136 ֏49.6K

-34.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$993 ֏362.8K

-34.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

15.53

-26.46%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Abovyan: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 52% higher in Abovyan, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $53.0 in Abovyan. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $223 in Abovyan – so Abovyan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Abovyan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 59%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,189 in Abovyan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $53.0 in Abovyan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Abovyan, where all-in costs run around $792, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Abovyan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Abovyan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Abovyan. 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.