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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $974 in Acapulco, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,448 in Acapulco, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,921 in Acapulco, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 29% more than Acapulco, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Playa del Carmen and Acapulco are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Acapulco 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$10.66 MX$187

12.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$32.14 MX$564

29.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$11.30 MX$198

-4.87%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$3.61 MX$63.3

-3.05%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$1.83 MX$32.12

-20.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$1.63 MX$28.61

-46.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$2.68 MX$46.93

10.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$4.72 MX$82.8

-4.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.61 MX$28.20

-11.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$3.18 MX$55.8

-42.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.55 MX$27.19

1.29%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.75 MX$30.64

43.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$6.37 MX$112

29.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$8.16 MX$143

3.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$10.45 MX$183

2.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$4.37 MX$76.7

-40.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.71 MX$29.97

-15.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$3.22 MX$56.6

-39.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$3.09 MX$54.2

-32.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$3.26 MX$57.3

-43.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$2.80 MX$49.12

-22.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$1.20 MX$21.12

-14.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.81 MX$14.22

32.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$7.79 MX$137

-47.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$6.74 MX$118

50.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.08 MX$18.88

55.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$2.63 MX$46.12

-3.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.73 MX$12.84

-30.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$4.21 MX$73.8

-23.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.56 MX$27.31

54.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$8.48 MX$149

-61.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.32 MX$23.22

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$21.5K MX$377.5K

37.98%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$22.9K MX$401.1K

3.48%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$38.62 MX$677

112.35%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$22.48 MX$394

2.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$21.00 MX$368

43.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$18.38 MX$322

182.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$12.97 MX$228

42.87%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$3.74 MX$65.6

33.16%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$156 MX$2,732

26.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$3,663 MX$64.2K

45.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$63.1 MX$1,106

-43.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$43.08 MX$756

-6.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$108 MX$1,893

-27.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$79.2 MX$1,389

12.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$495 MX$8,691

91.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$236 MX$4,146

100.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$921 MX$16.2K

78.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$248 MX$4,357

387.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$479 MX$8,393

36.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.5

-0.70%

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 Acapulco: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $495 in Acapulco. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 37% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $32.00 in Acapulco. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $267 in Acapulco – so Playa del Carmen 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 Acapulco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 29% more than Acapulco, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,461 in Acapulco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Acapulco, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $974 in Acapulco. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $156 in Acapulco. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Acapulco, where all-in costs run around $974, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Acapulco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Acapulco costs $974 versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Acapulco. 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.