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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $762 in Ayutthaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,206 in Ayutthaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,650 in Ayutthaya, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 70% more than Ayutthaya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ayutthaya are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Ayutthaya 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$1.89 ฿61.8

520.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$19.68 ฿643

111.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.73 ฿220

58.10%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.00 ฿65.3

76.00%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.67 ฿21.90

125.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.27 ฿8.69

259.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.05 ฿67.0

43.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.33 ฿109

33.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.49 ฿48.61

-7.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.91 ฿62.3

-1.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.08 ฿35.25

51.85%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.81 ฿59.1

38.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$13.52 ฿442

-38.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$2.54 ฿83.0

228.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.62 ฿347

1.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.54 ฿82.8

2.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$0.73 ฿23.89

100.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.80 ฿58.9

5.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.37 ฿44.66

51.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.61 ฿52.7

10.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.21 ฿39.52

80.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.99 ฿32.31

5.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.45 ฿14.86

140.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.80 ฿91.4

45.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$14.79 ฿483

-30.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.68 ฿54.7

1.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.53 ฿115

-26.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.06 ฿34.46

-51.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$24.87 ฿812

6.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.06 ฿34.49

207.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.76 ฿24.70

227.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$3.78 ฿123

-14.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.15 ฿37.43

13.91%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$19.8K ฿645.9K

53.11%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$20.9K ฿682.5K

12.12%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$74.0 ฿2,416

12.03%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$12.94 ฿423

71.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$17.51 ฿572

67.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$82.9 ฿2,708

-37.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$12.12 ฿396

51.16%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$5.97 ฿195

-15.08%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$256 ฿8,371

-21.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$18.1K ฿592.6K

-71.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$19.56 ฿639

88.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$34.05 ฿1,112

16.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$60.8 ฿1,986

28.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$57.7 ฿1,884

50.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$428 ฿14.0K

127.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$144 ฿4,712

224.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$621 ฿20.3K

164.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$309 ฿10.1K

295.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,696 ฿55.4K

132.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,622 ฿53.0K

300.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,012 ฿33.0K

-34.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.5

226.29%

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 Ayutthaya: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $428 in Ayutthaya. 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 52% higher in Ayutthaya, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $20.00 in Ayutthaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $223 – making Ayutthaya 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 Ayutthaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 70%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,142 in Ayutthaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $256 in Ayutthaya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Playa del Carmen, 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 Ayutthaya, where all-in costs run around $762, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Ayutthaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ayutthaya – 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 Ayutthaya. 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.