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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $927 in Aguadulce.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,483 in Aguadulce.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,040 in Aguadulce.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 37% more expensive than in Aguadulce, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Aguadulce 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$9.96 PAB 9.96

16.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$48.01 PAB 48.01

-1.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.91 PAB 7.91

50.19%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$4.02 PAB 4.02

-1.00%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$2.03 PAB 2.03

-29.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$1.53 PAB 1.53

-46.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$3.32 PAB 3.32

-3.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.99 PAB 3.99

70.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.91 PAB 1.91

-12.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$2.41 PAB 2.41

-8.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$3.09 PAB 3.09

-44.66%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$2.78 PAB 2.78

-1.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$12.30 PAB 12.30

-22.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.33 PAB 6.33

42.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$10.33 PAB 10.33

24.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$4.32 PAB 4.32

-33.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.75 PAB 1.75

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$3.95 PAB 3.95

-45.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$3.94 PAB 3.94

-42.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$3.15 PAB 3.15

-37.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$4.27 PAB 4.27

-53.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$2.18 PAB 2.18

-43.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$1.70 PAB 1.70

-29.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$6.04 PAB 6.04

-24.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$10.92 PAB 10.92

-5.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.42 PAB 1.42

14.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$2.70 PAB 2.70

6.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.26 PAB 0.26

130.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$2.57 PAB 2.57

109.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$1.85 PAB 1.85

101.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$22.11 PAB 22.11

-73.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.20 PAB 1.20

28.33%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$21.1K PAB 21.1K

6.92%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$21.1K PAB 21.1K

23.60%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$131 PAB 131

-30.03%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$29.27 PAB 29.27

-13.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$49.13 PAB 49.13

-36.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$46.43 PAB 46.43

44.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$8.03 PAB 8.03

-39.48%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$544 PAB 544

-58.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$9,789 PAB 9,789

-56.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$59.6 PAB 59.6

-20.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$46.30 PAB 46.30

-4.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$92.8 PAB 92.8

-13.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$119 PAB 119

-21.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.39

79.19%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Aguadulce: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $48.00 in Aguadulce for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $315 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 37% 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 $1,899 in Playa del Carmen and $1,390 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 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $927 in Aguadulce – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $927 in Aguadulce versus $1,266 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 $927 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 37% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.