Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Yaguajay Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Yaguajay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,215 in Yaguajay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,695 in Yaguajay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,175 in Yaguajay, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 6% more than Yaguajay, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Playa del Carmen and Yaguajay are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Yaguajay 9% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94 MX$208
$5.90 CUP 142
102.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75 MX$744
$17.69 CUP 425
141.66%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.59 MX$184
$7.01 CUP 168
51.07%
Cappuccino
$3.62 MX$63.0
$1.33 CUP 31.92
172.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 MX$25.54
$1.28 CUP 30.62
14.84%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 MX$16.41
$1.07 CUP 25.76
-12.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.09 MX$53.8
$1.46 CUP 35.02
111.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46 MX$77.6
$1.73 CUP 41.57
157.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.80
$2.86 CUP 68.5
-50.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 MX$32.79
$0.83 CUP 20.02
126.51%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 MX$28.34
$2.37 CUP 56.9
-31.22%
Eggs
$2.64 MX$45.99
$3.07 CUP 73.6
-14.01%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.21 MX$143
$5.73 CUP 138
43.28%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.29 MX$144
$5.13 CUP 123
61.60%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.10 MX$193
$11.94 CUP 287
-7.04%
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 MX$46.14
$4.93 CUP 118
-46.25%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$26.11
$1.08 CUP 26.00
38.89%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 MX$34.59
$1.32 CUP 31.77
50.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 MX$36.13
$1.33 CUP 31.84
56.39%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 MX$31.11
$1.75 CUP 42.03
2.29%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 MX$37.87
$2.69 CUP 64.7
-18.96%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 MX$18.73
$1.02 CUP 24.56
5.88%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04 MX$18.04
$1.08 CUP 25.89
-3.70%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97 MX$69.1
$3.56 CUP 85.4
11.52%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.20 MX$178
$10.07 CUP 242
1.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 MX$30.04
$1.78 CUP 42.77
-2.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 MX$43.46
$1.92 CUP 45.97
30.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.52 MX$9.02
$0.19 CUP 4.47
173.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.97 MX$469
$20.08 CUP 482
34.31%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 MX$54.7
$2.02 CUP 48.52
55.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.40 MX$41.80
$0.41 CUP 9.95
485.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.09 MX$53.7
$19.65 CUP 472
-84.27%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MX$22.16
$1.23 CUP 29.42
3.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9K MX$537.3K
$67.1K CUP 1.6M
-53.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$405.7K
$76.5K CUP 1.8M
-69.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.0 MX$1,427
$34.84 CUP 836
135.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45 MX$391
$40.57 CUP 974
-44.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66 MX$516
$254 CUP 6,087
-88.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.9 MX$903
$40.72 CUP 977
27.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67 MX$325
$15.01 CUP 360
24.38%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97 MX$86.5
$0.98 CUP 23.50
407.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$198 MX$3,442
$117 CUP 2,809
69.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,273 MX$91.7K
$11.2K CUP 269.7K
-53.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34 MX$632
$39.66 CUP 952
-8.37%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05 MX$697
$29.86 CUP 717
34.13%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 MX$1,390
$76.2 CUP 1,829
4.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9 MX$1,547
$80.0 CUP 1,920
11.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$963 MX$16.8K
$366 CUP 8,777
163.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$465 MX$8,086
$385 CUP 9,252
20.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,596 MX$27.8K
$1,008 CUP 24.2K
58.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,209 MX$21.0K
$604 CUP 14.5K
100.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,942 MX$68.6K
$395 CUP 9,479
897.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,448 MX$112.2K
$339 CUP 8,127
1804.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$720 MX$12.5K
$53.4 CUP 1,281
1249.82%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
8.33
37.09%

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 Yaguajay: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $366 in Yaguajay. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1250% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $18.00 in Yaguajay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $241 – making Yaguajay the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Yaguajay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Yaguajay cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 6%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,823 in Yaguajay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Yaguajay, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs Yaguajay?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,215 in Yaguajay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 34% less in Yaguajay. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Yaguajay?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Yaguajay, where all-in costs run around $1,215, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Yaguajay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Yaguajay more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Yaguajay – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Yaguajay. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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