Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Naucalpan de Juárez Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Naucalpan de Juárez

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,189 in Naucalpan de Juárez.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,954 in Naucalpan de Juárez.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,718 in Naucalpan de Juárez.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 8% more expensive than Naucalpan de Juárez, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Naucalpan de Juárez 11% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Naucalpan de Juárez
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94 MX$208
$13.19 MX$230
-9.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75 MX$744
$52.7 MX$917
-18.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.59 MX$184
$7.75 MX$135
36.65%
Cappuccino
$3.62 MX$63.0
$3.62 MX$63.0
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 MX$25.54
$1.62 MX$28.15
-9.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 MX$16.41
$1.17 MX$20.34
-19.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.09 MX$53.8
$3.12 MX$54.4
-0.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46 MX$77.6
$4.78 MX$83.3
-6.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Naucalpan de Juárez
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.80
$1.41 MX$24.50
1.42%
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 MX$32.79
$2.72 MX$47.41
-30.88%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 MX$28.34
$1.95 MX$33.92
-16.41%
Eggs
$2.64 MX$45.99
$2.53 MX$44.10
4.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.21 MX$143
$8.02 MX$139
2.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.29 MX$144
$11.58 MX$201
-28.41%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.10 MX$193
$13.75 MX$239
-19.27%
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 MX$46.14
$2.88 MX$50.0
-7.99%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$26.11
$1.71 MX$29.76
-12.28%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 MX$34.59
$2.08 MX$36.12
-4.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 MX$36.13
$2.67 MX$46.46
-22.10%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 MX$31.11
$2.50 MX$43.53
-28.40%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 MX$37.87
$3.02 MX$52.6
-27.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 MX$18.73
$1.57 MX$27.38
-31.21%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04 MX$18.04
$1.09 MX$18.92
-4.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97 MX$69.1
$4.30 MX$74.9
-7.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.20 MX$178
$14.34 MX$249
-28.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 MX$30.04
$1.81 MX$31.52
-4.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 MX$43.46
$3.68 MX$64.1
-32.07%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Naucalpan de Juárez
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.52 MX$9.02
$0.65 MX$11.23
-20.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.97 MX$469
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 MX$54.7
$1.36 MX$23.69
130.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.40 MX$41.80
$0.28 MX$4.85
757.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.09 MX$53.7
$5.55 MX$96.6
-44.32%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MX$22.16
$1.26 MX$21.87
0.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9K MX$537.3K
$18.3K MX$318.2K
68.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$405.7K
$21.3K MX$370.7K
9.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Naucalpan de Juárez
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.0 MX$1,427
$40.70 MX$708
101.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45 MX$391
$26.08 MX$454
-13.92%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66 MX$516
$30.24 MX$526
-1.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Naucalpan de Juárez
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.9 MX$903
$35.43 MX$617
46.40%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67 MX$325
$16.09 MX$280
16.03%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97 MX$86.5
$6.50 MX$113
-23.54%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Naucalpan de Juárez
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$198 MX$3,442
$349 MX$6,069
-43.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,273 MX$91.7K
$3,558 MX$61.9K
48.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Naucalpan de Juárez
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34 MX$632
$57.8 MX$1,006
-37.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05 MX$697
$45.67 MX$795
-12.31%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 MX$1,390
$105 MX$1,824
-23.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9 MX$1,547
$107 MX$1,854
-16.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Naucalpan de Juárez
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$963 MX$16.8K
$506 MX$8,811
90.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$465 MX$8,086
$390 MX$6,787
19.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,596 MX$27.8K
$943 MX$16.4K
69.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,209 MX$21.0K
$772 MX$13.4K
56.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,942 MX$68.6K
$1,746 MX$30.4K
125.71%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,448 MX$112.2K
$1,264 MX$22.0K
410.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Naucalpan de Juárez
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$720 MX$12.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
11.5
-0.70%

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 Naucalpan de Juárez: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $506 in Naucalpan de Juárez. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $53.0 in Naucalpan de Juárez for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $307 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 Juárez: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Naucalpan de Juárez?
Naucalpan de Juárez wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Naucalpan de Juárez 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 Juárez?
You'd need roughly $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $1,784 in Naucalpan de Juárez 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 Juárez?
Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $506 in Naucalpan de Juárez. 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 Juárez?
Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 22% 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 Juárez?
All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,189 in Naucalpan de Juárez – a 8% 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 Juárez?
At $1,189 in Naucalpan de Juárez versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Naucalpan de Juárez but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Naucalpan de Juárez the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Naucalpan de Juárez?
Both work as nomad bases, but Naucalpan de Juárez delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,189 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Naucalpan de Juárez hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Naucalpan de Juárez gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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