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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $857 in Avarua, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,388 in Avarua, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,919 in Avarua, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 48% more than Avarua, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Avarua are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Avarua 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$59.5 NZ$102

-27.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$9.17 NZ$15.66

16.14%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.59 NZ$6.14

-3.90%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.76 NZ$4.71

-45.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$2.36 NZ$4.03

-59.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$5.84 NZ$9.98

-48.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$5.01 NZ$8.55

-7.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.85 NZ$3.17

-25.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$3.47 NZ$5.92

-46.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.79 NZ$3.06

-10.06%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$5.00 NZ$8.54

-48.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$11.91 NZ$20.34

-30.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$8.20 NZ$14.01

2.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$10.73 NZ$18.32

-0.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.05 NZ$5.20

-13.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.82 NZ$3.11

-18.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$3.55 NZ$6.05

-45.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$9.85 NZ$16.82

-78.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$3.04 NZ$5.20

-38.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$2.38 NZ$4.07

-5.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$2.39 NZ$4.08

-55.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$2.95 NZ$5.04

-63.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$14.81 NZ$25.28

-29.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$4.53 NZ$7.74

-42.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$120 NZ$205

-30.81%

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

$22.71 MX$390

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

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

$197 MX$3,386

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$68.3 NZ$117

-45.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$73.6 NZ$126

21.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$154 NZ$263

521.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$155 NZ$265

207.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$174 NZ$298

843.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$233 NZ$398

424.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$5,026 NZ$8,582

-22.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$748 NZ$1,277

763.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Avarua: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $154 in Avarua. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $59.0 in Avarua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $376 – 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 Avarua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 48% more than Avarua, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,286 in Avarua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $857 in Avarua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Interestingly, groceries are about 51% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Avarua, where all-in costs run around $857, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Avarua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Avarua costs $857 versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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