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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $247 in Afgoye.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $323 in Afgoye.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $398 in Afgoye.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 425% more expensive than Afgoye, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Afgoye 82% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$1.01 SOS 574

1061.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.60 SOS 2,046

195.56%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$0.48 SOS 274

633.33%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.48 SOS 271

214.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.21 SOS 119

361.90%

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

$2.98 SOS 1,690

-53.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$3.62 SOS 2,057

-30.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$8.19 SOS 4,650

31.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

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

$0.26 SOS 148

96.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

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

$22.22 MX$384

$5.11 SOS 2,902

334.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$25.10 SOS 14.3K

16.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

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

$201 MX$3,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$10.13 SOS 5,752

264.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$44.14 SOS 25.1K

97.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$99.2 SOS 56.3K

880.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$96.7 SOS 54.9K

383.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$283 SOS 161.0K

479.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$80.7 SOS 45.8K

1413.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$199 SOS 113.2K

233.09%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Afgoye: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $99.2 in Afgoye. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 233% 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 425% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $247 including rent). Afgoye is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Playa del Carmen pays 233% more on average, 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $99.2 in Afgoye. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 262% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $247 in Afgoye – a 425% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $247 in Afgoye versus $1,297 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 425% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.