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: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $231 in Ancud.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $451 in Ancud.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $672 in Ancud.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 466% more expensive than in Ancud, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Ancud 83% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$10.61 CLP 9,982

12.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$26.49 CLP 24.9K

78.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$6.34 CLP 5,966

85.33%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.63 CLP 2,471

56.65%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.62 CLP 586

125.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$0.62 CLP 583

170.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$2.21 CLP 2,078

-2.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$0.73 CLP 688

142.47%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.89 CLP 1,782

49.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$3.29 CLP 3,095

180.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$13.32 CLP 12.5K

-5.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

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

$25.19 MX$427

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

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

$226 MX$3,828

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ancud: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $26.00 in Ancud for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $95.0 per month, with Ancud cheaper across the board.

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 466% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,958 in Playa del Carmen and $346 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 192% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ancud – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $231 in Ancud versus $1,305 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 466% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.