Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Anaco

For one person, living is cheaper in Anaco: $435 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Anaco, Venezuela
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Anaco
🇻🇪 Venezuela
$435
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Anaco

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Anaco actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $435 in Anaco, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Anaco $435

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $690 in Anaco, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Anaco $690

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $945 in Anaco, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Anaco $945

Playa del Carmen costs about 177% more than Anaco, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Playa del Carmen and Anaco are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 12% lower, Anaco 68% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Anaco
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$204
$12.14 VES 10.8K
-10.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$808
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$220
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.0
$0.87 VES 773
337.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$23.90
$1.24 VES 1,094
3.23%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.59
$0.62 VES 551
25.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.0
$0.92 VES 817
244.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.0
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Anaco
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.22
$1.83 VES 1,617
-22.95%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.33
-
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.42
$1.08 VES 954
31.48%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.03
-
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$135
$3.72 VES 3,295
95.16%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$143
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$237
$8.05 VES 7,131
57.64%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.9
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.50
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.55
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.58
$1.54 VES 1,366
37.66%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.13
$1.61 VES 1,426
20.50%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.16
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.37
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$21.98
$0.97 VES 862
21.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.1
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$185
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.52
$1.28 VES 1,131
23.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$49.79
$1.56 VES 1,381
71.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Anaco
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.31
$0.29 VES 253
89.66%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$496
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$92.6
$2.94 VES 2,601
69.05%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.1
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$99.8
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$26.92
$0.48 VES 427
200.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$385.2K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$437.4K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Anaco
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,581
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$436
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$534
$37.70 VES 33.4K
-23.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Anaco
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,063
$24.71 VES 21.9K
130.88%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$539
$12.12 VES 10.7K
138.53%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$95.8
$6.05 VES 5,360
-15.04%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Anaco
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,851
$44.55 VES 39.5K
363.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.2K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Anaco
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$808
$45.62 VES 40.4K
-4.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$772
$37.93 VES 33.6K
9.25%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,383
$45.10 VES 40.0K
64.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,664
$39.91 VES 35.4K
123.63%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Anaco
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.3K
$112 VES 99.3K
774.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,099
$68.9 VES 61.1K
452.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$31.8K
$248 VES 219.7K
588.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.0K
$178 VES 157.4K
505.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$73.5K
$242 VES 214.5K
1528.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$114.8K
$168 VES 149.1K
3558.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Anaco
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
0
-

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Anaco: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Anaco
–
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Anaco
–
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Anaco
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Anaco
–
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Anaco
–
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Anaco
–
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Anaco
–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $112 in Anaco. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇻🇪 Anaco
🕒 Local time
12:59 12:59 PM
13:59 1:59 PM
1 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
149,380
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

VES, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

Venezuelan Bolívar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 886 VES (1,000 VES = 1.13 USD). 1 EUR = 986 VES (1,000 VES = 1.01 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Anaco 2,720 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Anaco

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Anaco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Anaco cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 177%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $652 in Anaco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Anaco, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $112 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and in Anaco?
Groceries cost about 178% 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.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $207 per month in Playa del Carmen and $45 in Anaco. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Anaco?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Anaco, where all-in costs run around $435, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Anaco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Anaco more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Anaco – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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