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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,858 in Albenga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,806 in Albenga, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,754 in Albenga, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 32% cheaper than Albenga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Albenga is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$15.88 €13.84

-26.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$58.2 €50.7

-19.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$13.89 €12.11

-14.47%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.18 €1.90

82.57%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$3.80 €3.31

-62.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$1.15 €1.00

-28.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$5.73 €4.99

-44.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$6.62 €5.77

2.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.82 €1.58

-7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$3.17 €2.76

-30.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$2.70 €2.36

-36.67%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$3.84 €3.35

-28.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$23.49 €20.48

-59.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$11.48 €10.01

-21.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$22.92 €19.98

-44.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.26 €1.97

27.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.48 €2.16

-39.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$3.39 €2.95

-36.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$2.38 €2.07

-5.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$2.37 €2.07

-16.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.05 €1.79

-2.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.88 €1.64

-34.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.59 €0.52

103.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$5.67 €4.94

-19.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$9.09 €7.92

14.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$2.04 €1.78

-20.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.47 €2.15

16.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$2.00 €1.75

-70.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$43.51 €37.93

-33.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$7.95 €6.93

-32.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.69 €1.47

120.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$64.2 €55.9

-91.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$2.09 €1.82

-26.32%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$37.3K €32.5K

-39.59%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$37.6K €32.8K

-30.67%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$264 €231

-65.45%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$10.94 €9.53

130.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$29.35 €25.59

6.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$62.6 €54.6

7.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$24.99 €21.78

16.49%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$8.01 €6.98

-39.33%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$513 €447

-56.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$19.8K €17.3K

-78.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$106 €92.8

-55.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$53.1 €46.27

-16.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$117 €102

-31.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$170 €148

-45.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$757 €660

40.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$580 €506

-32.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,198 €1,045

79.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$922 €804

37.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$3,015 €2,628

32.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$2,113 €1,842

207.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.17

261.20%

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 Albenga: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $757 in Albenga. 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $58.0 in Albenga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $383 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Albenga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Albenga costs about 47% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $2,787 in Albenga. 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.

Public transport costs about 51% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $513 in Albenga. 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 Albenga at $1,858. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Albenga it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,266 versus $1,858 in Albenga. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Albenga makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.