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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $789 in Abovyan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,306 in Abovyan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,822 in Abovyan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 64% more than Abovyan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Abovyan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Abovyan 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$10.38 ֏3,821

13.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$51.7 ֏19.0K

-19.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.95 ֏2,926

33.84%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.46 ֏1,275

1.73%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.96 ֏352

57.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.53 ֏194

83.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.85 ֏682

59.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$4.03 ֏1,484

10.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.66 ֏610

-16.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.88 ֏325

114.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.32 ֏853

-29.31%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.37 ֏872

5.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$8.18 ֏3,010

1.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.60 ֏2,797

9.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$12.13 ֏4,463

-11.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.30 ֏480

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.72 ֏632

-15.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.80 ֏662

5.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.24 ֏823

-7.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.76 ֏281

134.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.75 ֏276

192.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.83 ֏304

25.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.68 ֏251

58.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.64 ֏971

54.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$10.66 ֏3,925

-3.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.32 ֏487

29.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.18 ֏803

18.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.50 ֏183

2.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.60 ֏588

103.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.31 ֏115

703.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$4.65 ֏1,710

-30.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.37 ֏503

-4.38%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$32.0K ֏11.8M

-5.32%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$37.3K ֏13.7M

-37.21%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$131 ֏48.3K

-36.82%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$8.81 ֏3,244

152.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$20.59 ֏7,576

42.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$6.70 ֏2,467

-24.33%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$368 ֏135.5K

-45.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$7,757 ֏2.9M

-32.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$109 ֏40.1K

-66.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$59.3 ֏21.8K

-32.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$141 ֏51.7K

-44.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$140 ֏51.6K

-37.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$976 ֏359.3K

-31.99%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Abovyan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 47% 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 $52.0 in Abovyan. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $226 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 64%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,184 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 $52.0 in Abovyan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% 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 $789, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.