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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,212 in Ajijic, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,947 in Ajijic, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,682 in Ajijic, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 7% more than Ajijic, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ajijic are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Ajijic 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$204

$8.06 MX$140

45.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$725

$34.99 MX$607

19.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$181

$6.78 MX$118

53.54%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$3.37 MX$58.6

7.12%

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

$1.46 MX$25.28

$1.08 MX$18.78

35.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.79 MX$13.73

22.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.8

$1.80 MX$31.26

62.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$80.2

$3.11 MX$54.0

48.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.37 MX$23.71

4.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.98

$2.23 MX$38.70

-14.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.18

$1.07 MX$18.61

46.73%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.73

$1.99 MX$34.55

32.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$146

$7.90 MX$137

6.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$149

$7.29 MX$127

17.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$191

$6.89 MX$120

59.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.91

$2.14 MX$37.16

26.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.15

$0.95 MX$16.50

58.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.22

$0.84 MX$14.51

127.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.69

$1.47 MX$25.45

47.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.53

$1.42 MX$24.65

31.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.76

$1.03 MX$17.88

116.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.76

$0.92 MX$16.02

17.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.82 MX$14.31

30.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$72.2

$4.04 MX$70.1

2.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$179

$9.27 MX$161

11.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.20

$1.39 MX$24.13

20.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.96

$1.67 MX$29.04

51.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.61

$0.61 MX$10.60

-9.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.5

$1.08 MX$18.82

196.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.73

$1.60 MX$27.84

53.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.5

$3.13 MX$54.4

2.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.91

$1.31 MX$22.81

0.76%

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

$30.2K MX$523.3K

$18.4K MX$318.9K

64.11%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$18.8K MX$326.3K

24.42%

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

$81.4 MX$1,412

$44.72 MX$776

81.91%

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

$22.41 MX$389

$16.59 MX$288

35.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$520

$25.25 MX$438

18.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$24.17 MX$419

113.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

$5.33 MX$92.5

245.03%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$89.6

$4.15 MX$72.0

24.34%

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

$202 MX$3,501

$182 MX$3,151

11.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$92.2K

$2,586 MX$44.9K

105.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$618

$41.87 MX$727

-14.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$701

$16.00 MX$278

152.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,365

$65.3 MX$1,133

20.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,507

$55.0 MX$955

57.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.5K

$812 MX$14.1K

16.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,298

$637 MX$11.1K

-24.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$28.1K

$1,590 MX$27.6K

1.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$1,375 MX$23.9K

-11.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.6K

$3,301 MX$57.3K

21.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$112.3K

$1,727 MX$30.0K

274.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.7K

$596 MX$10.3K

12.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.24

1.60%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Ajijic: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $812 in Ajijic. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 13% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $35.00 in Ajijic. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $205 – making Ajijic the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Ajijic: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,818 in Ajijic. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ajijic, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $1,212 in Ajijic. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Playa del Carmen and $182 in Ajijic. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ajijic, where all-in costs run around $1,212, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. In Ajijic it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ajijic – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ajijic. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.