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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $908 in Azua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,262 in Azua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,616 in Azua.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 39% more expensive than in Azua, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Azua 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$8.44 DOP 491

38.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$49.97 DOP 2,904

-16.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$7.24 DOP 420

45.17%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.33 DOP 77.3

169.92%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.03 DOP 60.1

46.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.84 DOP 48.84

9.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.51 DOP 146

17.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$4.94 DOP 287

-10.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.21 DOP 70.1

15.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.71 DOP 99.6

9.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.08 DOP 63.0

44.44%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.64 DOP 95.2

59.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$7.23 DOP 420

15.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.49 DOP 377

28.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$10.80 DOP 628

0.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.30 DOP 192

-17.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$0.93 DOP 54.1

62.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$3.04 DOP 176

-38.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.94 DOP 113

12.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.52 DOP 146

-26.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.33 DOP 135

-4.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.13 DOP 65.8

-5.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.94 DOP 54.9

15.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$5.93 DOP 345

-29.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$16.94 DOP 984

-38.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.70 DOP 157

-38.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.09 DOP 179

-15.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$3.32 DOP 193

-7.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$2.14 DOP 124

12.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$5.88 DOP 342

-46.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.27 DOP 74.0

3.15%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$26.4K DOP 1.5M

13.03%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$29.7K DOP 1.7M

-21.40%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$75.7 DOP 4,400

7.36%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$25.29 DOP 1,470

-10.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$35.71 DOP 2,075

-15.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$6.65 DOP 387

-26.02%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$273 DOP 15.8K

-26.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$7,993 DOP 464.4K

-35.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$60.2 DOP 3,496

-40.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$51.8 DOP 3,007

-22.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$96.2 DOP 5,592

-17.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$115 DOP 6,707

-25.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$206 DOP 11.9K

128.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$3,702 DOP 215.1K

6.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Azua: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $50.0 in Azua for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $252 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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 Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,890 in Playa del Carmen and $1,363 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.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $908 in Azua – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $908 in Azua versus $1,260 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 39% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.