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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $250 in Afgoye.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $326 in Afgoye.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $401 in Afgoye.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 403% more expensive than in Afgoye, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Afgoye 81% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$0.98 SOS 559

1123.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$3.43 SOS 1,946

213.41%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$0.48 SOS 275

629.17%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.48 SOS 272

202.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.23 SOS 131

282.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.93 SOS 1,662

-51.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$3.56 SOS 2,025

-29.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$7.95 SOS 4,516

34.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.26 SOS 149

96.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

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

$22.95 MX$400

$4.93 SOS 2,802

365.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$24.89 SOS 14.1K

20.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

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

$197 MX$3,438

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$10.03 SOS 5,699

254.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$43.36 SOS 24.6K

105.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$99.0 SOS 56.2K

856.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$97.1 SOS 55.1K

388.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$292 SOS 165.8K

463.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$80.8 SOS 45.9K

1397.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$198 SOS 112.3K

230.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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 Afgoye: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $99.0 in Afgoye. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 231% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 Afgoye: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Afgoye differ by about 403% in total monthly costs ($1,256 vs $250 including rent). Afgoye is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 231% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $99.0 in Afgoye. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 269% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $250 in Afgoye – a 403% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $250 in Afgoye versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Afgoye but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Afgoye the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Afgoye gentler on the wallet – expenses run 403% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.