Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Aiken, SC Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Aiken, SC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,342 in Aiken, SC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,192 in Aiken, SC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,042 in Aiken, SC.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 44% less than in Aiken, SC, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Aiken, SC is 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$13.65 $13.65

-12.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$52.5 $52.5

-9.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$10.80 $10.80

8.80%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$3.85 $3.85

7.01%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.74 $1.74

-19.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$1.98 $1.98

-54.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$5.04 $5.04

-36.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$7.54 $7.54

-6.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$0.99 $0.99

69.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$2.86 $2.86

-24.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$3.45 $3.45

-48.70%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$3.49 $3.49

-19.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$16.46 $16.46

-44.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$6.31 $6.31

46.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$18.21 $18.21

-30.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$5.22 $5.22

-43.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$0.63 $0.63

150.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$2.94 $2.94

-24.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$3.99 $3.99

-40.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.93 $1.93

3.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$2.72 $2.72

-27.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.94 $1.94

-36.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$2.35 $2.35

-48.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$7.45 $7.45

-38.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$13.93 $13.93

-24.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.97 $1.97

-14.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$3.67 $3.67

-24.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$3.06 $3.06

71.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.82 $1.82

100.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$30.40 $30.40

-80.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.73 $0.73

110.96%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$35.6K $35.6K

-35.96%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$25.3K $25.3K

2.05%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$170 $170

-46.77%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$66.5 $66.5

-62.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$81.2 $81.2

-60.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$57.8 $57.8

18.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$15.98 $15.98

-69.59%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$553 $553

-59.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$24.5K $24.5K

-82.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$50.1 $50.1

-5.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$37.89 $37.89

14.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$93.0 $93.0

-13.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$65.0 $65.0

40.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$1,349 $1,349

-19.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$1,183 $1,183

-65.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$1,767 $1,767

11.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$1,701 $1,701

-24.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$1,640 $1,640

146.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$1,362 $1,362

392.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$2,913 $2,913

-73.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.07

88.63%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Aiken, SC: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $1,349 in Aiken, SC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aiken, SC pays 277% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $52.0 in Aiken, SC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $356 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 Aiken, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 79% lower than in Aiken, SC. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 277% lower in Aiken, SC. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,349 in Aiken, SC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $226 in Playa del Carmen versus $553 in Aiken, SC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $52.0 in Aiken, SC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,342 in Aiken, SC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Aiken, SC. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,305 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Aiken, SC 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 79% less than in Aiken, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.