Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Acharnes

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,210 a month against $1,298 in Acharnes, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,210
/mo nomad
Acharnes
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,298
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Acharnes

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Acharnes actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,210 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,298 in Acharnes.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,210
  • Acharnes $1,298

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,113 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,986 in Acharnes.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,113
  • Acharnes $1,986

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,016 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,674 in Acharnes.

  • Playa del Carmen $3,016
  • Acharnes $2,674

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 7% less than in Acharnes, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 10% lower, Acharnes 4% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Acharnes
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.76 MX$199
$11.35 €10.09
-5.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.03 MX$795
$58.0 €51.6
-25.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.79 MX$218
$9.01 €8.02
30.85%
Cappuccino
$3.87 MX$71.4
$3.81 €3.39
1.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 MX$25.29
$2.41 €2.14
-43.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84 MX$15.44
$0.58 €0.52
44.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.10 MX$57.3
$4.54 €4.04
-31.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.07 MX$93.6
$4.92 €4.38
3.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Acharnes
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$26.55
$1.60 €1.42
-10.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.23 MX$41.23
$1.47 €1.31
51.70%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.47 MX$27.17
$2.43 €2.16
-39.51%
Eggs
$2.53 MX$46.71
$5.05 €4.49
-49.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.30 MX$135
$11.48 €10.21
-36.41%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.86 MX$145
$9.81 €8.73
-19.88%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.79 MX$236
$14.08 €12.53
-9.16%
Apples (1kg)
$2.90 MX$53.6
$2.22 €1.97
30.63%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 MX$26.53
$2.24 €1.99
-35.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.07
$1.75 €1.56
45.71%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.06 MX$38.03
$1.91 €1.70
7.85%
Potato (1kg)
$2.00 MX$36.97
$1.10 €0.98
81.82%
Onion (1kg)
$2.01 MX$37.07
$1.30 €1.16
54.62%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 MX$22.02
$0.85 €0.76
40.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 MX$23.23
$0.83 €0.74
51.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.40 MX$81.4
$4.54 €4.04
-3.08%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.59 MX$177
$6.81 €6.06
40.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 MX$29.41
$1.70 €1.51
-6.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81 MX$51.9
$3.44 €3.06
-18.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Acharnes
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.57 MX$10.47
$1.29 €1.15
-55.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.82 MX$514
$44.62 €39.69
-37.65%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.98 MX$92.1
$4.58 €4.08
8.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.50 MX$64.6
$1.14 €1.01
207.02%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.40 MX$99.8
$14.04 €12.49
-61.54%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 MX$27.08
$2.14 €1.91
-31.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K MX$387.8K
$27.7K €24.6K
-24.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.9K MX$441.8K
$23.6K €21.0K
1.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Acharnes
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.2 MX$1,556
$138 €123
-39.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.99 MX$443
$14.27 €12.70
68.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.02 MX$536
$28.18 €25.06
2.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Acharnes
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$63.0 MX$1,164
$50.9 €45.30
23.66%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.14 MX$539
$25.57 €22.74
13.96%
Cinema Ticket
$4.94 MX$91.3
$8.97 €7.98
-44.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Acharnes
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$204 MX$3,763
$485 €432
-58.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,941 MX$72.8K
$4,566 €4,061
-13.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Acharnes
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.60 MX$806
$22.45 €19.97
94.21%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.12 MX$797
$34.93 €31.07
23.45%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.8 MX$1,400
$68.2 €60.6
11.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.6 MX$1,637
$106 €94.4
-16.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Acharnes
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,008 MX$18.6K
$487 €433
107.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$374 MX$6,911
$400 €356
-6.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$31.6K
$759 €675
125.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,106 MX$20.4K
$606 €539
82.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,944 MX$72.9K
$2,964 €2,637
33.07%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,169 MX$114.0K
$2,163 €1,924
185.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Acharnes
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$754 MX$13.9K
$978 €870
-22.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
4.36
162.61%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 10, 2026

Last update for Acharnes: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$374
Acharnes
$400 7.1% $26
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$258
Acharnes
$276 6.6% $17
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Acharnes
$208 2.9% $5.8
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Acharnes
$181 31.7% $44
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$113
Acharnes
$104 7.7% $8.7
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$73
Acharnes
$69 5.5% $4
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$53
Acharnes
$60 14.2% $7.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,008 in Playa del Carmen and $487 in Acharnes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Acharnes pays 30% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $58.0 in Acharnes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $276 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇬🇷 Acharnes
🕒 Local time
17:09 5:09 PM
01:09 1:09 AM
8 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
106,943
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Acharnes 10,290 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Acharnes

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Acharnes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Acharnes cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Playa del Carmen or Acharnes?
On paper, salaries run 30% lower in Acharnes. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Playa del Carmen and Acharnes?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,008 in Playa del Carmen versus $487 in Acharnes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and in Acharnes?
Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Acharnes. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or in Acharnes?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $58.0 in Acharnes. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Acharnes?
At $1,210 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,298 in Acharnes, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Acharnes. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Playa del Carmen or Acharnes more family-friendly?
For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Acharnes, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Acharnes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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