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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,087 in Ancud.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,649 in Ancud.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,210 in Ancud.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 19% more expensive than Ancud, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Ancud 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$8.76 CLP 7,772

33.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$44.37 CLP 39.4K

-6.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.13 CLP 7,220

30.87%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.80 CLP 2,489

25.71%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.31 CLP 1,164

15.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.03 CLP 913

-5.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$3.25 CLP 2,888

-9.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$4.06 CLP 3,606

9.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.19 CLP 1,060

15.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.52 CLP 1,346

24.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.86 CLP 1,653

-11.83%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$3.47 CLP 3,076

-27.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$10.64 CLP 9,444

-21.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.57 CLP 5,830

26.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.79 CLP 9,574

-0.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.90 CLP 1,684

36.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.52 CLP 1,348

-3.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.54 CLP 1,367

23.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.49 CLP 1,327

39.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.28 CLP 1,133

39.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.34 CLP 1,192

63.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.26 CLP 1,115

-17.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.22 CLP 1,085

-11.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$5.36 CLP 4,759

-23.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$6.00 CLP 5,327

72.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.56 CLP 1,385

9.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.26 CLP 2,004

14.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.61 CLP 542

-16.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.51 CLP 454

539.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.38 CLP 1,227

-5.07%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$19.5K CLP 17.3M

54.94%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$21.2K CLP 18.8M

10.32%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$132 CLP 116.7K

-36.99%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$13.30 CLP 11.8K

67.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$22.35 CLP 19.8K

31.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$39.24 CLP 34.8K

31.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$21.06 CLP 18.7K

-13.01%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$5.73 CLP 5,083

-11.52%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$441 CLP 390.9K

-54.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$51.1 CLP 45.4K

-27.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$30.59 CLP 27.1K

30.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$62.9 CLP 55.8K

24.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$81.0 CLP 71.9K

7.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$488 CLP 432.9K

99.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$375 CLP 332.9K

24.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$889 CLP 788.9K

84.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$602 CLP 534.0K

102.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ancud: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $488 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 $228, 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 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,945 in Playa del Carmen and $1,631 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $488 in Ancud. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,087 in Ancud – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,087 in Ancud versus $1,297 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 19% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.