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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $670 in Aguilares.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,042 in Aguilares.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,415 in Aguilares.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 88% more expensive than in Aguilares, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Aguilares 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$2.56 $2.56

357.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$11.84 $11.84

253.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$6.89 $6.89

52.54%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$3.33 $3.33

7.81%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.94 $0.94

60.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.49 $0.49

87.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.46 $1.46

102.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.45 $2.45

80.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.81 $1.81

-22.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.97 $1.97

-4.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.53 $1.53

1.96%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.78 $1.78

46.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$6.87 $6.87

21.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.46 $4.46

87.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$10.87 $10.87

-0.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.20 $3.20

-15.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.72 $1.72

-12.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.23 $2.23

-16.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$2.74 $2.74

-20.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.17 $2.17

-14.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.16 $2.16

3.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.96 $0.96

11.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.08 $1.08

0.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$3.93 $3.93

6.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$12.14 $12.14

-14.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.52 $1.52

9.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.48 $2.48

5.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.51 $0.51

5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$64.2 $64.2

-59.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$5.51 $5.51

-44.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$3.08 $3.08

-22.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$19.61 $19.61

-84.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.05 $1.05

24.76%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$18.0K $18.0K

65.26%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$20.5K $20.5K

13.72%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$28.39 $28.39

186.30%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$18.95 $18.95

19.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$34.46 $34.46

-12.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$19.85 $19.85

166.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$20.28 $20.28

-9.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$3.53 $3.53

39.38%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$145 $145

38.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$6,011 $6,011

-13.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$24.74 $24.74

45.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$27.51 $27.51

45.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$116 $116

-31.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$103 $103

-16.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$74.6 $74.6

1210.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

8.58

33.10%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Aguilares: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $74.6 in Aguilares. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $12.00 in Aguilares for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $240 per month, with Aguilares 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 Aguilares: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aguilares wins on cost – living expenses run 88% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Aguilares the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,890 in Playa del Carmen and $1,005 in Aguilares 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $74.6 in Aguilares. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $670 in Aguilares – a 88% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Aguilares runs roughly 145% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $670 in Aguilares versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Aguilares but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Aguilares the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Aguilares delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $670 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Aguilares hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Aguilares gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.