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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $683 in Azua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,080 in Azua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,477 in Azua.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 85% more expensive than in Azua, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Azua 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$8.23 DOP 483

40.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$42.16 DOP 2,478

11.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.40 DOP 435

60.54%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$1.37 DOP 80.6

190.51%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.69 DOP 40.44

107.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.39 DOP 22.69

110.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$2.57 DOP 151

24.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.99 DOP 235

70.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.21 DOP 70.9

38.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.85 DOP 109

18.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.04 DOP 61.2

64.42%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.54 DOP 90.6

77.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$6.58 DOP 387

45.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.63 DOP 213

148.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$4.79 DOP 281

167.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.82 DOP 224

-24.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.48 DOP 87.2

1.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$3.40 DOP 200

-36.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$2.30 DOP 135

-1.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$3.72 DOP 218

-46.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.92 DOP 171

-31.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.96 DOP 56.3

28.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.69 DOP 99.5

-28.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$4.79 DOP 282

-5.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$17.19 DOP 1,010

-39.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$2.98 DOP 175

-45.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$3.45 DOP 203

-16.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$2.59 DOP 152

108.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$3.32 DOP 195

12.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.37 DOP 80.3

12.41%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$15.4K DOP 904.9K

46.42%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$25.5K DOP 1.5M

2.18%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$95.2 DOP 5,593

-4.00%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$27.28 DOP 1,603

-7.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$39.60 DOP 2,327

-21.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$20.68 DOP 1,215

224.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$5.11 DOP 300

-4.89%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$155 DOP 9,088

44.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$5,649 DOP 331.9K

-25.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$26.75 DOP 1,572

76.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$46.02 DOP 2,704

-3.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$64.2 DOP 3,770

24.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$68.4 DOP 4,018

35.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$3,661 DOP 215.1K

9.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.09%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Azua: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $42.00 in Azua for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $244 per month, with Azua 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 Azua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Azua is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 85% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,899 in Playa del Carmen and $1,025 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 13% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $683 in Azua – a 85% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $683 in Azua versus $1,266 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 85% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.