๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,229 in Naucalpan de Juรกrez.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,949 in Naucalpan de Juรกrez.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,669 in Naucalpan de Juรกrez.
๐Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 3% more expensive than Naucalpan de Juรกrez, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
๐Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen5% lower, Naucalpan de Juรกrez9% lower.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Naucalpan de Juรกrez
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.87MX$204
$13.35MX$229
-11.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.90MX$736
$52.2MX$896
-17.85%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.65MX$183
$8.14MX$140
30.84%
Cappuccino
$3.45MX$59.2
$3.71MX$63.7
-7.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50MX$25.81
$1.55MX$26.66
-3.23%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95MX$16.28
$1.11MX$19.06
-14.41%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.03MX$51.9
$3.15MX$54.0
-3.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61MX$79.1
$4.70MX$80.7
-1.91%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Naucalpan de Juรกrez
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38MX$23.61
$1.42MX$24.32
-2.82%
White Bread(500g)
$1.85MX$31.70
$2.67MX$45.89
-30.71%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.61MX$27.65
$1.88MX$32.32
-14.36%
Eggs
$2.59MX$44.51
$2.54MX$43.62
1.97%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.26MX$142
$7.90MX$136
4.56%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.37MX$144
$11.39MX$196
-26.51%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.66MX$183
$13.77MX$236
-22.59%
Apples(1kg)
$2.63MX$45.12
$3.00MX$51.5
-12.33%
Banana(1kg)
$1.49MX$25.53
$1.78MX$30.53
-16.29%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.92MX$32.94
$2.08MX$35.67
-7.69%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.09MX$35.81
$2.77MX$47.54
-24.55%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$31.88
$2.53MX$43.41
-26.48%
Onion(1kg)
$2.26MX$38.81
$3.06MX$52.6
-26.14%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.06MX$18.23
$1.63MX$28.02
-34.97%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09MX$18.67
$1.07MX$18.36
1.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15MX$71.2
$4.20MX$72.1
-1.19%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.39MX$178
$14.93MX$256
-30.41%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72MX$29.59
$1.82MX$31.28
-5.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61MX$44.85
$3.57MX$61.2
-26.89%
๐ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Naucalpan de Juรกrez
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.30
$0.60MX$10.28
-10.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.94MX$462
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.13MX$53.7
$1.33MX$22.76
135.34%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.51MX$43.09
$0.30MX$5.16
736.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.15MX$54.1
$5.46MX$93.7
-42.31%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$21.88
$1.28MX$21.89
-0.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4KMX$521.3K
$18.5KMX$317.7K
64.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6KMX$404.5K
$21.0KMX$360.5K
12.19%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Naucalpan de Juรกrez
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.0MX$1,425
$41.16MX$707
101.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.71MX$390
$25.93MX$445
-12.42%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.46MX$506
$29.45MX$506
0.03%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Naucalpan de Juรกrez
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.0MX$875
$36.19MX$621
40.92%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.33MX$315
$15.90MX$273
15.28%
Cinema Ticket
$4.93MX$84.5
$6.22MX$107
-20.74%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Naucalpan de Juรกrez
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$197MX$3,386
$346MX$5,945
-43.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,280MX$90.6K
$3,634MX$62.4K
45.27%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Naucalpan de Juรกrez
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.90MX$633
$58.5MX$1,003
-36.88%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.89MX$685
$45.70MX$784
-12.71%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.0MX$1,373
$104MX$1,788
-23.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5MX$1,536
$106MX$1,821
-15.67%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Naucalpan de Juรกrez
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$956MX$16.4K
$502MX$8,609
90.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$477MX$8,189
$404MX$6,929
18.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,646MX$28.3K
$931MX$16.0K
76.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,225MX$21.0K
$766MX$13.1K
59.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,918MX$67.2K
$1,716MX$29.4K
128.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,459MX$110.9K
$1,231MX$21.1K
424.76%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Naucalpan de Juรกrez
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$667MX$11.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
11.5
-0.70%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026
Last update for Naucalpan de Juรกrez: June 9, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $502 in Naucalpan de Juรกrez. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $52.0 in Naucalpan de Juรกrez for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $308 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 Naucalpan de Juรกrez: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Naucalpan de Juรกrez?
Naucalpan de Juรกrez wins on cost โ living expenses run 3% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Naucalpan de Juรกrez the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen vs Naucalpan de Juรกrez?
You'd need roughly $1,906 in Playa del Carmen and $1,844 in Naucalpan de Juรกrez 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen vs Naucalpan de Juรกrez?
Rent for a central apartment: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $502 in Naucalpan de Juรกrez. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Playa del Carmen or Naucalpan de Juรกrez?
Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 23% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How much does it cost to live in Playa del Carmen compared to Naucalpan de Juรกrez?
All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,229 in Naucalpan de Juรกrez โ a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Playa del Carmen or Naucalpan de Juรกrez?
At $1,229 in Naucalpan de Juรกrez versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Naucalpan de Juรกrez but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Naucalpan de Juรกrez the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Naucalpan de Juรกrez?
Both work as nomad bases, but Naucalpan de Juรกrez delivers better value โ similar infrastructure at $1,229 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Naucalpan de Juรกrez hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Naucalpan de Juรกrez gentler on the wallet โ expenses run 3% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared