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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,693 in Aguada.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,215 in Aguada.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,736 in Aguada.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 25% less than in Aguada, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Aguada is 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$17.21 $17.21

-31.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$80.5 $80.5

-46.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$9.71 $9.71

9.68%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.20 $3.20

7.81%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.70 $1.70

-11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$1.45 $1.45

-34.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$3.04 $3.04

-0.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$4.08 $4.08

12.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$2.38 $2.38

-42.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$3.32 $3.32

-44.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$2.25 $2.25

-28.44%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$4.37 $4.37

-40.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$8.77 $8.77

-5.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$8.73 $8.73

-4.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$12.59 $12.59

-15.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$5.95 $5.95

-55.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.61 $2.61

-42.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$3.87 $3.87

-50.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$4.08 $4.08

-48.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$3.94 $3.94

-52.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$3.04 $3.04

-25.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$3.12 $3.12

-66.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.93 $1.93

-43.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$11.10 $11.10

-62.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.49 $2.49

-30.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$3.16 $3.16

-17.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.51 $1.51

66.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$14.99 $14.99

-78.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.98 $0.98

29.59%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$36.5K $36.5K

-16.68%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$26.9K $26.9K

-12.34%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$318 $318

-73.88%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$78.9 $78.9

-71.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$71.4 $71.4

-58.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$55.5 $55.5

-8.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$11.44 $11.44

-56.91%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$468 $468

-57.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$10.4K $10.4K

-49.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$45.25 $45.25

-18.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$55.7 $55.7

-28.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$91.5 $91.5

-12.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$106 $106

-15.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$506 $506

89.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$456 $456

4.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$1,786 $1,786

-7.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$2,236 $2,236

-70.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.71

100.00%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Aguada: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $506 in Aguada. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aguada pays 235% 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: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $81.0 in Aguada for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $345 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 Aguada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Aguada differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($1,271 vs $1,693 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Aguada earns 235% less. 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: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $506 in Aguada. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Aguada. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,693 in Aguada – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,693 in Aguada, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Aguada. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen 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.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Aguada 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 33% less than in Aguada. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.