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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,384 in Aden, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,360 in Aden, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,336 in Aden, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 9% cheaper than Aden, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Aden is 4% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$13.42 YER 3,176

-10.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$35.21 YER 8,334

18.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$10.13 YER 2,397

6.12%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.37 YER 1,035

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 YER 907

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$5.02 YER 1,188

-30.28%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$2.02 YER 477

-28.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.80 YER 189

10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$4.30 YER 1,018

-66.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$2.02 YER 479

-8.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$7.14 YER 1,689

-78.01%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$5.77 YER 1,366

-56.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$11.17 YER 2,643

-25.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$16.69 YER 3,950

-49.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$38.73 YER 9,166

-72.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$9.39 YER 2,222

-72.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$2.59 YER 614

-44.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$7.58 YER 1,794

-74.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$3.59 YER 850

-41.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$3.45 YER 817

-46.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$3.32 YER 785

-34.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.66 YER 157

56.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$1.48 YER 349

-27.70%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 YER 171

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 YER 447

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$4.86 YER 1,151

-15.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$1.16 YER 275

-56.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$40.75 YER 9,646

-36.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$2.65 YER 628

21.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.97 YER 466

22.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$5.72 YER 1,355

-43.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$3.69 YER 874

-64.23%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$16.4K YER 3.9M

81.21%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$60.4K YER 14.3M

-60.84%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$79.0 YER 18.7K

3.85%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$9.90 YER 2,343

131.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$55.6 YER 13.2K

-45.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$63.8 YER 15.1K

-18.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$27.02 YER 6,394

-31.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$5.58 YER 1,321

-10.75%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$147 YER 34.7K

34.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$1,870 YER 442.5K

185.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$96.8 YER 22.9K

-63.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$102 YER 24.2K

-60.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$158 YER 37.4K

-50.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$187 YER 44.2K

-52.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$240 YER 56.9K

294.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$177 YER 41.9K

167.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$528 YER 124.9K

211.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$530 YER 125.5K

128.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$1,231 YER 291.4K

229.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$850 YER 201.1K

661.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$459 YER 108.6K

42.52%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Aden: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $240 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 43% 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 $496 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 10% 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,076 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,384 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 $1,256, than in Aden at $1,384. 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 $1,256 versus $1,384 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.