😐A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,219 in Yaguajay, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,697 in Yaguajay, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,174 in Yaguajay, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 4% more than Yaguajay, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Yaguajay are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen5% lower, Yaguajay9% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.87MX$204
$6.10CUP 147
94.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.90MX$736
$17.82CUP 428
140.74%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.65MX$183
$7.08CUP 170
50.42%
Cappuccino
$3.45MX$59.2
$1.32CUP 31.79
161.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50MX$25.81
$1.23CUP 29.60
21.95%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95MX$16.28
$1.09CUP 26.13
-12.84%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.03MX$51.9
$1.54CUP 36.89
96.75%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61MX$79.1
$1.80CUP 43.10
156.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38MX$23.61
$2.87CUP 69.0
-51.92%
White Bread(500g)
$1.85MX$31.70
$0.82CUP 19.65
125.61%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.61MX$27.65
$2.42CUP 58.0
-33.47%
Eggs
$2.59MX$44.51
$3.02CUP 72.5
-14.24%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.26MX$142
$5.43CUP 130
52.12%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.37MX$144
$5.16CUP 124
62.21%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.66MX$183
$12.03CUP 289
-11.39%
Apples(1kg)
$2.63MX$45.12
$4.77CUP 115
-44.86%
Banana(1kg)
$1.49MX$25.53
$1.08CUP 25.80
37.96%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.92MX$32.94
$1.26CUP 30.30
52.38%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.09MX$35.81
$1.33CUP 31.93
57.14%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$31.88
$1.77CUP 42.49
5.08%
Onion(1kg)
$2.26MX$38.81
$2.74CUP 65.7
-17.52%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.06MX$18.23
$0.98CUP 23.60
8.16%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09MX$18.67
$1.09CUP 26.07
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15MX$71.2
$3.47CUP 83.3
19.60%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.39MX$178
$10.15CUP 244
2.36%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72MX$29.59
$1.78CUP 42.84
-3.37%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61MX$44.85
$1.89CUP 45.42
38.10%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.30
$0.17CUP 4.10
217.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.94MX$462
$20.40CUP 490
32.06%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.13MX$53.7
$2.05CUP 49.31
52.68%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.51MX$43.09
$0.41CUP 9.85
512.20%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.15MX$54.1
$19.84CUP 476
-84.12%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$21.88
$1.27CUP 30.40
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4KMX$521.3K
$66.6KCUP 1.6M
-54.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6KMX$404.5K
$73.8KCUP 1.8M
-68.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.0MX$1,425
$34.60CUP 830
139.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.71MX$390
$39.96CUP 959
-43.17%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.46MX$506
$249CUP 5,968
-88.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.0MX$875
$39.38CUP 945
29.51%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.33MX$315
$14.78CUP 355
24.02%
Cinema Ticket
$4.93MX$84.5
$1.02CUP 24.46
383.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$197MX$3,386
$117CUP 2,801
69.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,280MX$90.6K
$11.2KCUP 269.4K
-52.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.90MX$633
$39.62CUP 951
-6.87%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.89MX$685
$29.97CUP 719
33.10%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.0MX$1,373
$76.3CUP 1,831
4.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5MX$1,536
$78.7CUP 1,889
13.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$956MX$16.4K
$369CUP 8,868
158.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$477MX$8,189
$384CUP 9,212
24.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,646MX$28.3K
$1,009CUP 24.2K
63.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,225MX$21.0K
$606CUP 14.5K
102.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,918MX$67.2K
$391CUP 9,387
901.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,459MX$110.9K
$347CUP 8,320
1763.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$667MX$11.4K
$53.3CUP 1,279
1151.62%
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: June 7, 2026
Last update for Yaguajay: June 9, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $369 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 1152% 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: $250 vs $240 – 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 4%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,828 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,219 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 32% 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 $1,219, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared