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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,101 in Akbuk, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,737 in Akbuk, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,373 in Akbuk, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 14% more than Akbuk, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Akbuk are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Akbuk 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$7.82 ₺371

49.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$45.46 ₺2,153

-7.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$7.04 ₺334

49.29%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$2.66 ₺126

34.96%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$1.74 ₺82.4

-13.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.46 ₺21.92

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$3.07 ₺145

-3.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$4.18 ₺198

5.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$0.89 ₺41.96

57.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$0.92 ₺43.52

104.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.48 ₺70.2

5.41%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$1.74 ₺82.2

50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$7.91 ₺374

5.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$5.24 ₺248

59.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$19.51 ₺924

-44.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$1.15 ₺54.6

135.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$2.13 ₺101

-29.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$1.09 ₺51.7

71.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$1.14 ₺54.1

92.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$0.61 ₺28.81

204.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$0.43 ₺20.16

418.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$1.27 ₺60.3

-15.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.35 ₺16.40

211.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$2.14 ₺101

95.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$12.75 ₺604

-18.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.63 ₺77.0

1.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$2.05 ₺97.2

27.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.67 ₺31.91

-19.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

$29.95 ₺1,418

-12.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$1.04 ₺49.38

196.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$1.11 ₺52.5

116.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$7.58 ₺359

-58.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.25 ₺59.4

4.80%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$40.2K ₺1.9M

-25.79%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$42.0K ₺2.0M

-44.51%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$47.99 ₺2,273

69.37%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$7.67 ₺363

194.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$15.64 ₺741

92.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$42.67 ₺2,021

24.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$6.24 ₺296

-21.15%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$619 ₺29.3K

-67.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$8,856 ₺419.4K

-41.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$77.5 ₺3,671

-53.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$45.19 ₺2,140

-11.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$162 ₺7,656

-50.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$110 ₺5,227

-21.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$511 ₺24.2K

91.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$395 ₺18.7K

19.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$886 ₺42.0K

86.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$718 ₺34.0K

67.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$1,142 ₺54.1K

246.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$837 ₺39.7K

689.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

42.08

-72.86%

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 Akbuk: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $511 in Akbuk. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $45.00 in Akbuk. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $218 in Akbuk – so Akbuk 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 Akbuk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,652 in Akbuk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 16% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $45.00 in Akbuk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Akbuk, where all-in costs run around $1,101, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Akbuk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Akbuk – 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 Akbuk. 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.