Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ashton-under-Lyne Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ashton-under-Lyne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,312 in Ashton-under-Lyne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,428 in Ashton-under-Lyne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,543 in Ashton-under-Lyne.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 44% less than in Ashton-under-Lyne, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 4% below, Ashton-under-Lyne is 73% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Ashton-under-Lyne
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94 MX$209
$20.77 £15.39
-42.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75 MX$748
$96.8 £71.7
-55.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.59 MX$185
$9.65 £7.15
9.74%
Cappuccino
$3.62 MX$63.4
$4.74 £3.51
-23.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 MX$25.69
$2.14 £1.59
-31.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 MX$16.51
$1.50 £1.11
-37.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.09 MX$54.1
$6.71 £4.97
-53.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46 MX$78.0
$6.07 £4.50
-26.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Ashton-under-Lyne
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.94
$1.64 £1.21
-12.80%
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 MX$32.97
$1.65 £1.22
13.94%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 MX$28.50
$2.14 £1.59
-23.83%
Eggs
$2.64 MX$46.26
$3.85 £2.86
-31.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.21 MX$144
$8.53 £6.32
-3.75%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.29 MX$145
$8.64 £6.40
-4.05%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.10 MX$194
$15.03 £11.13
-26.15%
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 MX$46.40
$2.82 £2.09
-6.03%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$26.26
$1.60 £1.18
-6.25%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 MX$34.79
$2.58 £1.91
-22.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 MX$36.33
$3.72 £2.76
-44.09%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 MX$31.29
$1.85 £1.37
-3.24%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 MX$38.09
$1.82 £1.35
19.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 MX$18.84
$1.26 £0.93
-14.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04 MX$18.15
$1.27 £0.94
-18.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97 MX$69.5
$19.11 £14.16
-79.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.20 MX$179
$10.77 £7.98
-5.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 MX$30.22
$2.48 £1.84
-30.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 MX$43.71
$2.86 £2.12
-12.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Ashton-under-Lyne
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.52 MX$9.07
$3.39 £2.52
-84.66%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.97 MX$472
$88.0 £65.2
-69.36%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 MX$55.0
$4.06 £3.01
-22.66%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.40 MX$42.04
$1.56 £1.15
53.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.09 MX$54.0
$16.34 £12.10
-81.09%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MX$22.28
$1.91 £1.42
-33.51%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9K MX$540.4K
$38.2K £28.3K
-19.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$408.0K
$37.5K £27.8K
-37.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Ashton-under-Lyne
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.0 MX$1,435
$286 £212
-71.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45 MX$393
$18.13 £13.44
23.83%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66 MX$519
$42.57 £31.55
-30.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Ashton-under-Lyne
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.9 MX$908
$45.73 £33.89
13.43%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67 MX$327
$20.25 £15.01
-7.80%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97 MX$87.0
$13.72 £10.17
-63.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Ashton-under-Lyne
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$198 MX$3,462
$1,653 £1,225
-88.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,273 MX$92.3K
$16.4K £12.2K
-67.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Ashton-under-Lyne
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34 MX$636
$89.0 £66.0
-59.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05 MX$701
$41.56 £30.80
-3.63%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 MX$1,398
$89.6 £66.4
-10.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9 MX$1,555
$107 £79.5
-17.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Ashton-under-Lyne
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$963 MX$16.9K
$1,216 £901
-20.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$465 MX$8,133
$994 £736
-53.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,596 MX$27.9K
$2,001 £1,483
-20.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,209 MX$21.2K
$1,693 £1,255
-28.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,942 MX$69.0K
$2,678 £1,985
47.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,448 MX$112.8K
$2,313 £1,714
178.81%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Ashton-under-Lyne
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$720 MX$12.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
5.76
98.26%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Ashton-under-Lyne: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $1,216 in Ashton-under-Lyne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $97.0 in Ashton-under-Lyne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $293 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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 Ashton-under-Lyne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Ashton-under-Lyne?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 80% lower than in Ashton-under-Lyne. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen vs Ashton-under-Lyne?
You'd need roughly $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $3,468 in Ashton-under-Lyne 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen vs Ashton-under-Lyne?
Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,216 in Ashton-under-Lyne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Playa del Carmen or Ashton-under-Lyne?
Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Ashton-under-Lyne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Playa del Carmen vs Ashton-under-Lyne?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $97.0 in Ashton-under-Lyne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Playa del Carmen or Ashton-under-Lyne?
At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,312 in Ashton-under-Lyne, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Ashton-under-Lyne. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Ashton-under-Lyne?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,287 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Ashton-under-Lyne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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