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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,401 in Aden, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,398 in Aden, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,394 in Aden, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 7% cheaper than Aden, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Aden is 5% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$13.40 YER 3,193

-12.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$35.07 YER 8,358

18.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$10.09 YER 2,405

5.45%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.30 YER 1,025

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 YER 884

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$4.96 YER 1,183

-29.03%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$2.03 YER 485

-25.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.80 YER 191

21.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$4.13 YER 984

-66.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.96 YER 467

-3.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$7.38 YER 1,759

-77.78%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$5.82 YER 1,387

-56.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$11.25 YER 2,680

-25.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$16.84 YER 4,013

-50.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$39.24 YER 9,352

-72.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$9.50 YER 2,263

-72.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.58 YER 616

-43.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$7.85 YER 1,871

-75.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$3.54 YER 845

-41.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$3.43 YER 818

-48.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$3.23 YER 770

-32.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.65 YER 156

60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.47 YER 351

-26.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 YER 159

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 YER 450

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.89 YER 1,165

-16.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.11 YER 266

-54.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$40.49 YER 9,649

-34.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.61 YER 622

24.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.96 YER 466

27.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$5.47 YER 1,303

-40.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$3.74 YER 891

-64.97%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$16.8K YER 4.0M

80.72%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$61.6K YER 14.7M

-61.97%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$77.8 YER 18.5K

6.49%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$9.90 YER 2,360

124.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$55.3 YER 13.2K

-46.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$62.3 YER 14.8K

-17.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$27.09 YER 6,456

-32.37%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$5.63 YER 1,341

-9.95%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$145 YER 34.7K

38.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$1,917 YER 456.7K

171.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$98.0 YER 23.4K

-62.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$102 YER 24.2K

-60.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$157 YER 37.4K

-49.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$185 YER 44.1K

-52.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$241 YER 57.4K

304.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$178 YER 42.5K

162.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$545 YER 129.8K

201.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$517 YER 123.3K

135.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,258 YER 299.7K

213.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$840 YER 200.1K

673.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$456 YER 108.6K

45.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

12.67

-9.87%

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 Aden: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $241 in Aden. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 46% higher in Playa del Carmen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $35.00 in Aden. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $499 in Aden – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Aden: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aden costs about 8% 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,102 in Aden. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $35.00 in Aden. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,401 in Aden. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Aden at $1,401. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Aden it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,297 versus $1,401 in Aden. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Aden makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.