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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,070 in Aguadilla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,765 in Aguadilla, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,459 in Aguadilla, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 21% more than Aguadilla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Aguadilla are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Aguadilla 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$15.07 $15.07

-22.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$65.7 $65.7

-36.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.69 $8.69

22.44%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.73 $2.73

28.94%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.72 $1.72

-12.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.45 $1.45

-33.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.94 $2.94

0.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$4.04 $4.04

10.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.93 $1.93

-28.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$3.43 $3.43

-44.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.27 $2.27

-27.75%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$5.86 $5.86

-57.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$8.84 $8.84

-5.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$8.24 $8.24

1.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$12.95 $12.95

-17.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$5.77 $5.77

-54.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.76 $2.76

-47.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$3.92 $3.92

-51.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$4.04 $4.04

-48.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$3.93 $3.93

-54.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$3.07 $3.07

-28.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$3.12 $3.12

-66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$2.00 $2.00

-46.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$12.20 $12.20

-66.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$15.83 $15.83

-34.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.56 $2.56

-33.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.17 $3.17

-18.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

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

$1.46 $1.46

70.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$14.94 $14.94

-78.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.00 $1.00

31.00%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$35.7K $35.7K

-15.18%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$26.7K $26.7K

-12.17%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$122 $122

-32.06%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$78.9 $78.9

-71.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$73.7 $73.7

-60.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$35.02 $35.02

47.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$11.17 $11.17

-54.61%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$471 $471

-57.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$10.5K $10.5K

-50.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$46.45 $46.45

-20.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$57.2 $57.2

-30.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$89.8 $89.8

-12.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$107 $107

-18.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$2,021 $2,021

-18.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

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

$1,352 $1,352

-50.90%

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 2, 2026

Last update for Aguadilla: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 104% higher in Aguadilla, 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 $66.0 in Aguadilla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $379 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Aguadilla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 21%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,605 in Aguadilla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $66.0 in Aguadilla. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 52% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Aguadilla, where all-in costs run around $1,070, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Aguadilla it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Aguadilla – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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