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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,686 in Acquarossa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,610 in Acquarossa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $7,534 in Acquarossa.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 66% less than in Acquarossa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 7% below, Acquarossa is 169% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$35.34 CHF 29.04

-67.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$144 CHF 118

-67.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$18.53 CHF 15.23

-35.89%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$7.29 CHF 5.99

-45.40%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$5.74 CHF 4.71

-75.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$5.29 CHF 4.35

-84.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$9.84 CHF 8.09

-67.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$8.72 CHF 7.17

-22.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$2.13 CHF 1.75

-21.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$3.98 CHF 3.27

-44.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$3.98 CHF 3.27

-57.04%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$8.46 CHF 6.95

-67.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$27.70 CHF 22.76

-65.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$27.65 CHF 22.72

-67.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$61.2 CHF 50.3

-79.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$4.18 CHF 3.44

-30.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$2.80 CHF 2.30

-46.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$3.47 CHF 2.85

-38.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$4.96 CHF 4.07

-54.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$2.59 CHF 2.13

-23.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$2.19 CHF 1.80

-9.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$2.58 CHF 2.12

-52.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$1.28 CHF 1.05

-6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$11.10 CHF 9.12

-59.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$13.21 CHF 10.85

-21.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$2.86 CHF 2.35

-43.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$3.26 CHF 2.68

-11.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$4.02 CHF 3.30

-85.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$93.7 CHF 77.0

-69.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$8.28 CHF 6.81

-34.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$4.55 CHF 3.74

-18.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$92.0 CHF 75.6

-93.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$2.34 CHF 1.92

-34.19%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$39.9K CHF 32.8K

-43.43%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$40.3K CHF 33.1K

-35.28%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$289 CHF 238

-68.43%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$39.28 CHF 32.28

-35.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$57.7 CHF 47.41

-45.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$84.8 CHF 69.7

-20.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$44.18 CHF 36.31

-34.11%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$24.89 CHF 20.45

-80.47%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$3,645 CHF 2,995

-93.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$42.8K CHF 35.2K

-90.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$142 CHF 117

-66.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$58.5 CHF 48.10

-24.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$164 CHF 135

-51.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$259 CHF 213

-64.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$1,788 CHF 1,469

-40.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$1,512 CHF 1,243

-74.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$2,641 CHF 2,170

-18.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$2,559 CHF 2,103

-50.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$14.0K CHF 11.5K

-71.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$14.1K CHF 11.6K

-53.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$12.5K CHF 10.3K

-93.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

2.07

453.14%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Acquarossa: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $1,788 in Acquarossa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Acquarossa pays 1546% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $144 in Acquarossa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $677 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 191% 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, salaries run 1546% lower in Acquarossa. 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: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,788 in Acquarossa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 146% 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 $47.00 versus $144 in Acquarossa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,686 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 $1,266 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 191% less than in Acquarossa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.