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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $959 in Ayutuxtepeque.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,417 in Ayutuxtepeque.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,876 in Ayutuxtepeque.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 35% more expensive than Ayutuxtepeque, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Ayutuxtepeque 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$8.23 $8.23

42.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$29.94 $29.94

39.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$5.07 $5.07

105.33%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$3.32 $3.32

8.73%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.68 $0.68

114.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.48 $0.48

102.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$1.29 $1.29

126.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$2.96 $2.96

56.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.44 $1.44

-0.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$1.53 $1.53

24.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$1.01 $1.01

55.45%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$2.46 $2.46

7.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$7.13 $7.13

18.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$5.64 $5.64

52.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$8.85 $8.85

24.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$3.25 $3.25

-16.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.66 $1.66

-9.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$2.25 $2.25

-15.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$2.71 $2.71

-19.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$1.63 $1.63

14.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$2.10 $2.10

6.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.62 $0.62

74.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$1.03 $1.03

3.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$4.11 $4.11

1.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$6.12 $6.12

68.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$1.53 $1.53

9.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$2.43 $2.43

4.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.34 $0.34

61.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$5.40 $5.40

-40.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$3.02 $3.02

-18.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$20.04 $20.04

-84.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.03 $1.03

28.16%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$25.4K $25.4K

18.85%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$28.6K $28.6K

-18.30%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$93.1 $93.1

-12.62%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$19.18 $19.18

16.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$34.87 $34.87

-14.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$14.94 $14.94

245.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$5.27 $5.27

-2.09%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$146 $146

37.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$2,958 $2,958

79.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$24.72 $24.72

44.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$29.64 $29.64

36.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$116 $116

-32.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$74.6 $74.6

16.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$147 $147

546.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$296 $296

61.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$400 $400

304.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$398 $398

206.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$434 $434

55.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

8.58

33.10%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Ayutuxtepeque: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $950 in Playa del Carmen and $147 in Ayutuxtepeque. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 55% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $30.00 in Ayutuxtepeque for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $217 per month, with Ayutuxtepeque 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 Ayutuxtepeque: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ayutuxtepeque wins on cost – living expenses run 35% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ayutuxtepeque the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Playa del Carmen pays 55% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $147 in Ayutuxtepeque. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $202 in Playa del Carmen versus $146 in Ayutuxtepeque. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ayutuxtepeque – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $959 in Ayutuxtepeque versus $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ayutuxtepeque but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Ayutuxtepeque the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ayutuxtepeque delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $959 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ayutuxtepeque hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Ayutuxtepeque gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.