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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $894 in Aguadulce.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,442 in Aguadulce.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,989 in Aguadulce.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 44% more expensive than Aguadulce, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Aguadulce 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$9.82 PAB 9.82

21.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$49.45 PAB 49.45

-13.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$8.14 PAB 8.14

30.10%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.56 PAB 3.56

1.69%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.66 PAB 1.66

-11.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.35 PAB 1.35

-30.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$3.07 PAB 3.07

0.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$4.12 PAB 4.12

8.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.86 PAB 1.86

-23.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$2.59 PAB 2.59

-27.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$2.48 PAB 2.48

-34.27%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.87 PAB 2.87

-8.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$11.45 PAB 11.45

-28.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$7.03 PAB 7.03

17.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$9.92 PAB 9.92

11.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.32 PAB 3.32

-20.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.50 PAB 1.50

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.82 PAB 2.82

-29.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$3.12 PAB 3.12

-33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$2.30 PAB 2.30

-22.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.89 PAB 2.89

-24.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$2.24 PAB 2.24

-51.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.53 PAB 1.53

-32.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$6.03 PAB 6.03

-34.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$11.14 PAB 11.14

-8.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.30 PAB 1.30

33.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.46 PAB 2.46

1.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.26 PAB 0.26

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$2.47 PAB 2.47

27.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.82 PAB 1.82

31.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$22.02 PAB 22.02

-85.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.95 PAB 0.95

33.68%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$19.7K PAB 19.7K

56.64%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$20.6K PAB 20.6K

13.07%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$123 PAB 123

-33.17%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$29.69 PAB 29.69

-24.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$49.45 PAB 49.45

-40.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$45.92 PAB 45.92

12.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$8.02 PAB 8.02

-38.03%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$477 PAB 477

-58.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$15.6K PAB 15.6K

-66.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$51.8 PAB 51.8

-29.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$46.63 PAB 46.63

-14.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$88.0 PAB 88.0

-9.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$119 PAB 119

-25.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.23

83.31%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Aguadulce: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $49.00 in Aguadulce for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $291 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 Aguadulce: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aguadulce wins on cost – living expenses run 44% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Aguadulce the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $1,342 in Aguadulce to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 16% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $894 in Aguadulce – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $894 in Aguadulce versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Aguadulce but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Aguadulce the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Aguadulce delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $894 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Aguadulce hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Aguadulce 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 Aguadulce gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.