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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,455 in Acquarossa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,316 in Acquarossa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $7,177 in Acquarossa.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 62% less than in Acquarossa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Acquarossa is 158% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$30.59 CHF 24.12

-61.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$150 CHF 118

-72.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$20.92 CHF 16.49

-49.14%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$6.74 CHF 5.32

-47.77%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$5.92 CHF 4.67

-74.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$5.10 CHF 4.02

-80.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$9.76 CHF 7.70

-69.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$8.56 CHF 6.75

-48.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.17 CHF 1.71

-36.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$3.37 CHF 2.65

-43.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$4.13 CHF 3.25

-60.29%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$7.52 CHF 5.93

-66.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$29.93 CHF 23.59

-72.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$33.51 CHF 26.42

-75.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$50.7 CHF 40.00

-78.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$4.11 CHF 3.24

-36.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.91 CHF 2.29

-49.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.98 CHF 2.35

-36.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$4.98 CHF 3.93

-58.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.82 CHF 2.23

-36.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.34 CHF 1.84

-6.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$2.49 CHF 1.96

-58.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.73 CHF 1.37

-37.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$11.17 CHF 8.81

-63.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$15.19 CHF 11.98

-32.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.67 CHF 2.10

-35.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.19 CHF 2.52

-19.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$3.82 CHF 3.01

-86.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$96.9 CHF 76.4

-72.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$7.68 CHF 6.05

-57.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$4.11 CHF 3.24

-39.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$88.3 CHF 69.6

-96.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$2.24 CHF 1.76

-41.52%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$40.2K CHF 31.7K

-24.59%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$39.9K CHF 31.5K

-41.27%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$260 CHF 205

-68.10%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$35.79 CHF 28.22

-37.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$58.4 CHF 46.02

-49.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$87.5 CHF 69.0

-40.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$24.21 CHF 19.08

-79.06%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$3,346 CHF 2,638

-94.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$39.0K CHF 30.7K

-86.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$139 CHF 110

-73.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$53.8 CHF 42.41

-26.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$147 CHF 116

-46.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$205 CHF 162

-57.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$1,669 CHF 1,316

-41.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$1,461 CHF 1,152

-67.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$2,869 CHF 2,262

-42.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$2,434 CHF 1,919

-49.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$14.6K CHF 11.5K

-72.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$9,972 CHF 7,862

-34.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$12.5K CHF 9,854

-94.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

2.09

446.41%

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 Acquarossa: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $1,669 in Acquarossa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Acquarossa pays 1783% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $150 in Acquarossa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $680 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 Acquarossa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 166% lower than in Acquarossa. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Acquarossa earns 1783% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,669 in Acquarossa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 173% higher in Acquarossa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $150 in Acquarossa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,455 in Acquarossa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Acquarossa. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,297 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Acquarossa are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 166% less than in Acquarossa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.