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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,356 in Ajijic, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,120 in Ajijic, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,884 in Ajijic, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 7% cheaper than Ajijic, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ajijic are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Ajijic 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$10.12 MX$174

14.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$46.72 MX$802

0.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$7.59 MX$130

56.52%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$3.86 MX$66.2

3.11%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$1.79 MX$30.69

-20.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$1.32 MX$22.60

-37.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$2.27 MX$38.91

40.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.41 MX$58.5

99.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$1.57 MX$26.99

7.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$2.38 MX$40.93

-7.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$1.15 MX$19.82

48.70%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$2.45 MX$42.10

11.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$8.54 MX$147

12.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$9.14 MX$157

-1.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$7.72 MX$133

65.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$2.45 MX$41.97

17.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$1.37 MX$23.48

9.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$1.57 MX$26.93

36.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$1.89 MX$32.40

19.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$1.65 MX$28.38

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$1.50 MX$25.68

32.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$1.05 MX$18.11

17.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$0.94 MX$16.08

27.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$4.69 MX$80.5

-2.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$9.59 MX$165

8.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$1.64 MX$28.19

-1.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$1.47 MX$25.22

95.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$0.67 MX$11.58

-10.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$1.35 MX$23.13

299.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$4.75 MX$81.6

-21.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$11.86 MX$203

-51.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$1.52 MX$26.11

1.32%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$22.4K MX$385.3K

0.45%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$25.6K MX$438.6K

1.98%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$57.6 MX$988

58.70%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$15.28 MX$262

64.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$26.10 MX$448

19.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$26.56 MX$456

153.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

$5.78 MX$99.2

403.63%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$5.21 MX$89.5

-6.72%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$226 MX$3,877

-1.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$3,110 MX$53.4K

35.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$46.32 MX$795

1.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$17.75 MX$305

149.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$72.1 MX$1,237

11.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$75.1 MX$1,289

23.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$908 MX$15.6K

16.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$684 MX$11.7K

-42.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$1,562 MX$26.8K

37.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$1,282 MX$22.0K

-0.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

$3,285 MX$56.4K

21.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

$1,756 MX$30.1K

270.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$593 MX$10.2K

27.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

11.2

2.23%

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 Ajijic: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $908 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 28% higher in Playa del Carmen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $47.00 in Ajijic. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $238 in Ajijic – so Ajijic wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Ajijic costs about 7% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,034 in Ajijic. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,356 in Ajijic. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $226 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 Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Ajijic at $1,356. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ajijic it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ajijic makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.