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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $955 in Acapulco, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,460 in Acapulco, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,965 in Acapulco, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 36% more than Acapulco, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Playa del Carmen and Acapulco are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Acapulco 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$10.78 MX$186

8.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$32.02 MX$554

29.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$11.34 MX$196

-6.17%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.76 MX$65.0

-6.38%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.82 MX$31.49

-17.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.54 MX$26.69

-37.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.57 MX$44.51

14.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$4.74 MX$81.9

-6.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.56 MX$26.91

-11.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$3.19 MX$55.1

-40.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.55 MX$26.82

5.81%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.74 MX$30.15

44.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.24 MX$108

33.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$8.12 MX$141

2.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.78 MX$186

-0.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$4.53 MX$78.4

-42.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.68 MX$29.07

-13.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$3.19 MX$55.2

-40.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$3.12 MX$53.9

-33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$3.44 MX$59.4

-48.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.87 MX$49.68

-23.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.25 MX$21.67

-16.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.78 MX$13.42

38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$7.82 MX$135

-47.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$7.04 MX$122

46.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.04 MX$17.99

64.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.62 MX$45.37

-1.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.73 MX$12.67

-30.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$4.27 MX$73.8

-23.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.54 MX$26.68

61.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$8.38 MX$145

-61.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.26 MX$21.73

3.97%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$21.0K MX$362.7K

44.42%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$22.1K MX$382.6K

5.93%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$38.89 MX$673

113.09%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$22.51 MX$389

-1.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$20.88 MX$361

40.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$18.76 MX$324

175.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$13.24 MX$229

38.37%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$3.62 MX$62.7

40.06%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$156 MX$2,706

28.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$3,565 MX$61.7K

46.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$63.9 MX$1,105

-42.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$41.96 MX$726

-5.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$106 MX$1,826

-25.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$80.3 MX$1,390

8.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$506 MX$8,748

92.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$243 MX$4,208

92.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$918 MX$15.9K

78.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$249 MX$4,302

390.79%

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

$486 MX$8,412

36.51%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Acapulco: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $506 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 $268 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 36% 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,433 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $955 in Acapulco. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 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 $955, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $955 versus $1,297 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.