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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,262 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,307 in Atenas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,158 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,274 in Atenas, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,054 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,240 in Atenas, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 3% cheaper than Atenas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Atenas are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Atenas 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.61 MX$201

$8.97 ₡4,100

29.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$742

$52.4 ₡23.9K

-18.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 MX$184

$10.01 ₡4,571

5.89%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.3

$3.75 ₡1,714

-4.27%

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

$1.45 MX$25.21

$1.98 ₡904

-26.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.58

$1.57 ₡718

-42.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$3.06 ₡1,398

-0.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 MX$79.2

$4.62 ₡2,111

-1.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$25.20

$2.06 ₡939

-29.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.72

$2.86 ₡1,307

-36.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.92

$1.94 ₡888

-17.01%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.05

$3.01 ₡1,374

-15.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 MX$148

$9.73 ₡4,445

-12.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 MX$147

$8.74 ₡3,994

-3.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$9.21 ₡4,205

17.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.37

$3.88 ₡1,774

-29.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.91

$1.45 ₡661

2.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 MX$33.73

$2.45 ₡1,121

-20.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.57

$2.15 ₡982

0.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.05

$3.34 ₡1,525

-44.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.00

$2.42 ₡1,106

-9.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.62

$1.01 ₡463

5.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.81

$2.83 ₡1,293

-61.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 MX$70.5

$5.33 ₡2,434

-23.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 MX$182

$18.06 ₡8,250

-42.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 MX$28.71

$2.47 ₡1,129

-33.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 MX$44.23

$2.38 ₡1,085

7.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.65

$2.03 ₡928

-72.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.20 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.5

$1.79 ₡817

75.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 MX$41.17

$1.78 ₡814

33.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.2

$8.02 ₡3,665

-59.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.81

$1.39 ₡635

-5.76%

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

$30.5K MX$530.2K

$38.2K ₡17.5M

-20.06%

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

$23.8K MX$413.6K

$32.5K ₡14.9M

-26.77%

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

$83.1 MX$1,443

$92.7 ₡42.3K

-10.29%

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

$22.15 MX$385

$26.18 ₡12.0K

-15.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.37 MX$510

$47.67 ₡21.8K

-38.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 MX$889

$40.90 ₡18.7K

25.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 MX$324

$9.86 ₡4,506

89.55%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MX$84.9

$8.30 ₡3,792

-41.08%

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

$199 MX$3,449

$562 ₡256.6K

-64.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,207 MX$90.4K

$6,050 ₡2.8M

-13.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$624

$62.0 ₡28.3K

-42.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.39 MX$684

$48.74 ₡22.3K

-19.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 MX$1,394

$119 ₡54.2K

-32.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 MX$1,520

$108 ₡49.5K

-19.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.7K

$548 ₡250.3K

75.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 MX$8,370

$393 ₡179.6K

22.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,645 MX$28.6K

$1,363 ₡622.8K

20.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 MX$20.7K

$1,165 ₡532.2K

2.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,957 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,513 MX$113.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 MX$12.6K

$1,288 ₡588.6K

-43.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.17

12.29%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Last update for Atenas: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $548 in Atenas. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 77% higher in Atenas, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $52 in Atenas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $324 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Atenas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Atenas is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,894 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,960 in Atenas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $52.0 in Atenas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Atenas, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,262, than in Atenas at $1,307. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Atenas it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Atenas makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.