Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Acqualagna PU Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Acqualagna PU

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,948 in Acqualagna PU, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,969 in Acqualagna PU, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,990 in Acqualagna PU, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 35% cheaper than Acqualagna PU, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Acqualagna PU is 45% above โ€“ they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Acqualagna PU
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.67 MX$202
$22.84 โ‚ฌ19.48
-48.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.88 MX$726
$81.2 โ‚ฌ69.3
-48.42%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.40 MX$180
$12.03 โ‚ฌ10.26
-13.55%
Cappuccino
$3.61 MX$62.6
$2.06 โ‚ฌ1.76
75.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 MX$25.45
$3.57 โ‚ฌ3.05
-58.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 MX$15.80
$1.39 โ‚ฌ1.18
-34.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.03 MX$52.6
$5.86 โ‚ฌ4.99
-48.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 MX$77.4
$5.66 โ‚ฌ4.83
-21.02%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Acqualagna PU
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 MX$23.83
$1.83 โ‚ฌ1.56
-24.59%
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 MX$31.93
$2.99 โ‚ฌ2.55
-38.46%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 MX$27.82
$3.47 โ‚ฌ2.96
-53.60%
Eggs
$2.57 MX$44.52
$4.19 โ‚ฌ3.58
-38.66%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.49 MX$147
$21.92 โ‚ฌ18.69
-61.27%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.49 MX$147
$13.99 โ‚ฌ11.94
-39.31%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.99 MX$190
$23.65 โ‚ฌ20.18
-53.53%
Apples (1kg)
$2.73 MX$47.25
$2.94 โ‚ฌ2.51
-7.14%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$25.92
$2.79 โ‚ฌ2.38
-46.24%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.96 MX$33.93
$3.64 โ‚ฌ3.10
-46.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$36.70
$4.38 โ‚ฌ3.74
-51.60%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 MX$32.30
$2.50 โ‚ฌ2.13
-25.60%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 MX$37.67
$2.01 โ‚ฌ1.72
7.96%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 MX$18.59
$1.49 โ‚ฌ1.27
-28.19%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 MX$18.18
$0.50 โ‚ฌ0.42
110.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19 MX$72.6
$6.95 โ‚ฌ5.93
-39.71%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.28 MX$178
$9.59 โ‚ฌ8.18
7.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67 MX$28.87
$1.85 โ‚ฌ1.57
-9.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49 MX$43.12
$3.23 โ‚ฌ2.76
-22.91%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Acqualagna PU
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.54 MX$9.37
$1.76 โ‚ฌ1.50
-69.32%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.27 MX$455
$43.94 โ‚ฌ37.48
-40.21%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.10 MX$53.8
$5.63 โ‚ฌ4.81
-44.94%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.46 MX$42.66
$1.59 โ‚ฌ1.35
54.72%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.24 MX$56.1
$31.09 โ‚ฌ26.52
-89.58%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.26 MX$21.83
$2.11 โ‚ฌ1.80
-40.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2K MX$522.8K
$38.8K โ‚ฌ33.1K
-22.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4K MX$406.3K
$39.0K โ‚ฌ33.2K
-39.85%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Acqualagna PU
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.0 MX$1,456
$227 โ‚ฌ194
-63.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.21 MX$385
$11.31 โ‚ฌ9.65
96.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.65 MX$514
$33.98 โ‚ฌ28.99
-12.74%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Acqualagna PU
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.6 MX$912
$55.6 โ‚ฌ47.39
-5.26%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.34 MX$318
$23.19 โ‚ฌ19.78
-20.91%
Cinema Ticket
$4.95 MX$85.7
$12.50 โ‚ฌ10.66
-60.40%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Acqualagna PU
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$198 MX$3,438
$907 โ‚ฌ773
-78.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,322 MX$92.2K
$8,157 โ‚ฌ6,958
-34.76%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Acqualagna PU
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.95 MX$623
$98.5 โ‚ฌ84.0
-63.49%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.06 MX$694
$52.1 โ‚ฌ44.48
-23.17%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.8 MX$1,365
$119 โ‚ฌ102
-33.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5 MX$1,499
$199 โ‚ฌ170
-56.47%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Acqualagna PU
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$977 MX$16.9K
$749 โ‚ฌ639
30.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$471 MX$8,158
$575 โ‚ฌ491
-18.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,595 MX$27.6K
$1,211 โ‚ฌ1,033
31.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,215 MX$21.1K
$909 โ‚ฌ775
33.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,032 MX$69.9K
$2,975 โ‚ฌ2,538
35.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,579 MX$114.0K
$1,960 โ‚ฌ1,672
235.70%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Acqualagna PU
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$714 MX$12.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
4.17
173.86%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Acqualagna PU: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $749 in Acqualagna PU. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $81 in Acqualagna PU. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $412 โ€“ making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Acqualagna PU: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Acqualagna PU?
Acqualagna PU costs about 54% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen vs Acqualagna PU?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,922 in Acqualagna PU. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ€“ not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Playa del Carmen or Acqualagna PU?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Playa del Carmen vs Acqualagna PU?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $81.0 in Acqualagna PU. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and cafรฉ pricing gap between the two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Playa del Carmen compared to Acqualagna PU?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $1,948 in Acqualagna PU. The difference isn't just one category โ€“ it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Playa del Carmen or Acqualagna PU?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Acqualagna PU at $1,948. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Acqualagna PU it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Acqualagna PU?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,261 versus $1,948 in Acqualagna PU. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Playa del Carmen compared to Acqualagna PU?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison โ€“ central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Playa del Carmen or Acqualagna PU?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Acqualagna PU makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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