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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $888 in Azua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,247 in Azua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,606 in Azua.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 45% more expensive than Azua, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Azua 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$8.71 DOP 515

37.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$51.8 DOP 3,059

-17.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$7.25 DOP 429

46.07%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.38 DOP 81.3

162.32%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.03 DOP 60.9

42.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.79 DOP 46.42

18.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.52 DOP 149

22.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$4.95 DOP 292

-9.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.20 DOP 70.8

19.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.74 DOP 103

8.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.08 DOP 64.1

50.93%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.63 DOP 96.1

61.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$7.16 DOP 423

14.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.14 DOP 363

35.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$10.81 DOP 639

2.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.34 DOP 197

-20.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$0.85 DOP 50.4

76.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$3.01 DOP 178

-33.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.95 DOP 115

6.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$2.55 DOP 151

-29.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.36 DOP 139

-7.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.12 DOP 66.3

-3.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.95 DOP 55.9

9.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$5.91 DOP 349

-32.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$11.59 DOP 685

-11.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.61 DOP 154

-33.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.15 DOP 186

-20.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$3.33 DOP 197

-5.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$2.11 DOP 125

13.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$5.88 DOP 347

-47.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.33 DOP 78.5

-4.51%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$26.9K DOP 1.6M

14.64%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$29.7K DOP 1.8M

-21.42%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$77.2 DOP 4,563

6.20%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$25.20 DOP 1,489

-10.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$36.27 DOP 2,143

-18.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$6.83 DOP 403

-27.23%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$267 DOP 15.8K

-25.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$8,222 DOP 485.8K

-35.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$60.7 DOP 3,587

-40.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$52.7 DOP 3,111

-23.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$95.1 DOP 5,620

-16.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$115 DOP 6,776

-22.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$207 DOP 12.2K

124.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$3,604 DOP 212.9K

9.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

12.9

-11.47%

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 Azua: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $52.0 in Azua. Groceries flip the comparison at $251 vs $239, with Azua cheaper for home cooking.

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 Azua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Azua is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $1,332 in Azua 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $888 in Azua – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $888 in Azua versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Azua but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Azua the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Azua is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Azua are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Azua gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.