Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Aguadilla

For one person, living is cheaper in Aguadilla: $1,068 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Playa del Carmen outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Aguadilla
🇵🇷 Puerto Rico
$1,068
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Aguadilla

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Aguadilla actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,068 in Aguadilla, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Aguadilla $1,068

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,741 in Aguadilla, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Aguadilla $1,741

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,414 in Aguadilla, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Aguadilla $2,414

Playa del Carmen costs about 13% more than Aguadilla, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Playa del Carmen and Aguadilla are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 12% lower, Aguadilla 22% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Aguadilla
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$205
$12.11 $12.11
-9.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$814
$60.8 $60.8
-28.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$221
$9.17 $9.17
28.46%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.5
$1.47 $1.47
159.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$24.07
$1.31 $1.31
-2.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.70
$0.97 $0.97
-19.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.5
$3.04 $3.04
4.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.7
$4.07 $4.07
21.13%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Aguadilla
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.40
$1.84 $1.84
-23.37%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.62
$3.67 $3.67
-39.51%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.61
$2.45 $2.45
-42.04%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.36
$7.48 $7.48
-66.31%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$136
$12.48 $12.48
-41.83%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$144
$9.75 $9.75
-21.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$238
$13.36 $13.36
-5.01%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$52.3
$5.14 $5.14
-45.91%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.68
$2.58 $2.58
-46.90%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.89
$4.83 $4.83
-47.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.86
$4.74 $4.74
-55.27%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.39
$3.86 $3.86
-49.74%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.41
$3.88 $3.88
-51.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.53
$3.42 $3.42
-66.37%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$22.13
$1.65 $1.65
-28.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.6
$11.82 $11.82
-63.62%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$187
$15.58 $15.58
-36.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.73
$3.12 $3.12
-49.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$50.1
$3.90 $3.90
-31.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Aguadilla
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.39
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$500
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$93.3
$2.53 $2.53
96.44%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.5
$1.53 $1.53
117.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$101
$41.39 $41.39
-87.05%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$27.11
$1.01 $1.01
42.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$388.0K
$34.6K $34.6K
-40.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$440.5K
$28.4K $28.4K
-17.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Aguadilla
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,592
$122 $122
-30.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$439
$68.2 $68.2
-65.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$538
$70.7 $70.7
-59.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Aguadilla
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,071
$35.43 $35.43
61.02%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$543
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$96.5
$10.49 $10.49
-51.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Aguadilla
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,878
$819 $819
-74.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.7K
$12.8K $12.8K
-69.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Aguadilla
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$814
$55.2 $55.2
-21.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$778
$61.5 $61.5
-32.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,393
$109 $109
-31.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,676
$115 $115
-22.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Aguadilla
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.4K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,150
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$32.1K
$1,965 $1,965
-13.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$74.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$115.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Aguadilla
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.8K
$1,377 $1,377
-46.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
6.55
74.81%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Aguadilla: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Aguadilla
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Aguadilla
$413 62% $158
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Aguadilla
$174 13.8% $28
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Aguadilla
$261 90.8% $124
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Aguadilla
$153 37.2% $42
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Aguadilla
$56 16.2% $11
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Aguadilla
$10 * 79.8% $40

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 87% 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 $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $61 in Aguadilla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $413 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇵🇷 Aguadilla
🕒 Local time
12:01 12:01 PM
13:01 1:01 PM
1 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
10,919
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Aguadilla 2,100 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Aguadilla

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Aguadilla cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 13%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,602 in Aguadilla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or in Aguadilla?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen and $61 in Aguadilla. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and in Aguadilla?
Interestingly, groceries are about 38% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.
Is $1,500 enough for either Playa del Carmen or Aguadilla?
$1,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $1,068 in Aguadilla, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Aguadilla?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,068 in Aguadilla to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?