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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,067 in Ancud.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,634 in Ancud.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,200 in Ancud.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 18% more expensive than in Ancud, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Ancud 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$8.75 CLP 8,169

37.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$44.39 CLP 41.4K

-5.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$7.90 CLP 7,379

36.08%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.74 CLP 2,559

27.74%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.35 CLP 1,264

7.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.07 CLP 996

-17.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$3.24 CLP 3,026

-8.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$4.07 CLP 3,798

10.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.18 CLP 1,103

21.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.57 CLP 1,469

17.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.89 CLP 1,761

-16.93%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$3.64 CLP 3,394

-31.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$10.61 CLP 9,902

-21.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.55 CLP 6,114

28.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$11.08 CLP 10.3K

-3.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.88 CLP 1,752

38.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.51 CLP 1,414

-4.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.58 CLP 1,476

24.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.44 CLP 1,343

45.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.29 CLP 1,208

43.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.40 CLP 1,310

55.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.23 CLP 1,144

-16.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.16 CLP 1,087

-7.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$5.52 CLP 5,154

-25.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$6.44 CLP 6,009

57.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.57 CLP 1,461

7.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.29 CLP 2,140

10.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.57 CLP 534

-10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.50 CLP 469

546.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.42 CLP 1,323

-7.04%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$19.9K CLP 18.6M

49.11%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$21.1K CLP 19.7M

12.22%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$130 CLP 121.2K

-36.85%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$13.59 CLP 12.7K

68.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$21.82 CLP 20.4K

37.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$38.31 CLP 35.8K

35.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$21.04 CLP 19.6K

-11.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$5.76 CLP 5,381

-13.54%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$436 CLP 406.9K

-54.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$49.86 CLP 46.6K

-28.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$30.78 CLP 28.7K

31.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$62.0 CLP 57.9K

26.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$82.0 CLP 76.6K

8.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$477 CLP 445.6K

98.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$373 CLP 348.0K

27.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$886 CLP 826.9K

85.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$602 CLP 561.9K

101.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.18

120.46%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ancud: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $477 in Ancud. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $44.00 in Ancud. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $230, with Ancud cheaper for home cooking.

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 Ancud: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ancud is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,884 in Playa del Carmen and $1,601 in Ancud to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $477 in Ancud. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,067 in Ancud – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,067 in Ancud versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ancud but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Ancud the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ancud is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Ancud gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.