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: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $894 in Azua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,262 in Azua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,630 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 3% lower, Azua 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$8.31 DOP 484

41.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$51.6 DOP 3,006

-19.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$7.23 DOP 421

43.98%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$1.35 DOP 78.6

167.41%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.99 DOP 57.5

47.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.79 DOP 46.16

22.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$2.47 DOP 144

18.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$4.97 DOP 290

-7.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.25 DOP 72.9

14.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$1.80 DOP 105

5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$1.06 DOP 61.7

48.11%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$1.68 DOP 97.9

57.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$6.95 DOP 405

21.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$6.49 DOP 378

32.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$11.17 DOP 651

-1.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$3.27 DOP 190

-17.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$0.85 DOP 49.37

77.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$2.98 DOP 173

-35.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$1.94 DOP 113

11.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$2.55 DOP 149

-26.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$2.35 DOP 137

-5.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$1.14 DOP 66.2

-5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.95 DOP 55.1

12.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$5.83 DOP 340

-28.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$17.15 DOP 999

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$2.61 DOP 152

-35.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$3.27 DOP 191

-22.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$3.38 DOP 197

-5.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$2.17 DOP 127

13.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$6.09 DOP 355

-47.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.32 DOP 76.8

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$26.9K DOP 1.6M

11.96%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$29.3K DOP 1.7M

-20.03%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$77.5 DOP 4,518

4.93%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$25.45 DOP 1,483

-11.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$35.66 DOP 2,078

-15.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$6.92 DOP 403

-25.43%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$262 DOP 15.3K

-23.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$8,182 DOP 476.7K

-35.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$59.7 DOP 3,478

-40.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$51.8 DOP 3,019

-22.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$96.1 DOP 5,602

-18.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$116 DOP 6,759

-25.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$201 DOP 11.7K

137.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$3,718 DOP 216.6K

7.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Azua: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $52.0 in Azua. Groceries flip the comparison at $254 vs $253, 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 $1,941 in Playa del Carmen and $1,341 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 0% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $894 in Azua – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $894 in Azua versus $1,294 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.