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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $711 in Acarigua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,247 in Acarigua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,783 in Acarigua.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 77% more expensive than in Acarigua, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Acarigua 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$12.08 VES 9,024

-2.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$54.2 VES 40.5K

-22.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$10.08 VES 7,525

4.27%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.64 VES 1,973

35.98%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.26 VES 940

19.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$1.02 VES 758

-9.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.46 VES 1,093

102.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.93 VES 2,190

50.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.82 VES 1,356

-23.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$2.70 VES 2,015

-30.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.50 VES 1,121

4.00%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.86 VES 2,135

-8.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$10.09 VES 7,535

-17.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$7.59 VES 5,669

10.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.39 VES 5,518

46.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$5.28 VES 3,946

-48.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.82 VES 1,358

-17.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.29 VES 1,713

-18.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$2.08 VES 1,553

5.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.68 VES 1,998

-30.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.07 VES 1,545

7.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.29 VES 966

-17.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.90 VES 1,418

-42.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$4.10 VES 3,065

2.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$11.81 VES 8,823

-11.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.50 VES 1,123

10.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.03 VES 1,518

28.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$4.88 VES 3,645

-36.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$2.66 VES 1,986

-9.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$9.92 VES 7,407

-68.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.48 VES 358

172.92%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$25.4K VES 19.0M

17.33%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$39.4K VES 29.4M

-40.83%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$19.79 VES 14.8K

310.71%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$12.90 VES 9,634

74.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$39.50 VES 29.5K

-23.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$5.91 VES 4,415

-16.75%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$132 VES 98.8K

51.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$5,380 VES 4.0M

-3.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$63.5 VES 47.4K

-43.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$39.88 VES 29.8K

0.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$104 VES 77.3K

-23.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$115 VES 86.2K

-25.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$633 VES 472.8K

943.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

21.33

-46.46%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Acarigua: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $54.0 in Acarigua for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $285 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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 Acarigua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Acarigua is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 77% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,890 in Playa del Carmen and $1,066 in Acarigua to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 13% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $711 in Acarigua – a 77% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $711 in Acarigua versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Acarigua but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Acarigua the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Acarigua is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Acarigua gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.