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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,225 in Yaguajay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,696 in Yaguajay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,166 in Yaguajay, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 3% 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 7% lower, Yaguajay 10% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.60 MX$199
$5.94 CUP 143
95.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.11 MX$809
$18.02 CUP 433
161.43%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.88 MX$204
$7.02 CUP 168
69.23%
Cappuccino
$3.98 MX$68.2
$1.29 CUP 30.87
208.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43 MX$24.49
$1.24 CUP 29.69
15.32%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 MX$14.16
$1.09 CUP 26.16
-24.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.19 MX$54.7
$1.47 CUP 35.31
117.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.79 MX$117
$1.79 CUP 42.98
279.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 MX$28.76
$2.96 CUP 71.1
-43.24%
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 MX$37.71
$0.81 CUP 19.51
171.60%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.71 MX$29.32
$2.38 CUP 57.1
-28.15%
Eggs
$2.74 MX$47.05
$2.93 CUP 70.3
-6.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.58 MX$164
$5.54 CUP 133
72.92%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.01 MX$155
$5.32 CUP 128
69.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.81 MX$220
$11.94 CUP 286
7.29%
Apples (1kg)
$2.89 MX$49.58
$4.86 CUP 117
-40.53%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$25.70
$1.13 CUP 27.03
32.74%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.15 MX$36.87
$1.27 CUP 30.37
69.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.26 MX$38.79
$1.38 CUP 33.02
63.77%
Potato (1kg)
$1.98 MX$34.00
$1.83 CUP 43.91
8.20%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 MX$34.15
$2.80 CUP 67.3
-28.93%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.23 MX$21.18
$0.97 CUP 23.30
26.80%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 MX$20.54
$1.13 CUP 27.06
6.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.55 MX$78.1
$3.40 CUP 81.7
33.82%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.37 MX$178
$9.87 CUP 237
5.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 MX$27.79
$1.80 CUP 43.13
-10.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 MX$49.44
$1.94 CUP 46.49
48.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.60 MX$10.30
$0.18 CUP 4.28
233.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.80 MX$494
$19.60 CUP 471
46.94%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 MX$92.5
$2.02 CUP 48.56
166.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.73 MX$64.0
$0.41 CUP 9.89
809.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.77 MX$99.0
$19.77 CUP 474
-70.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 MX$26.37
$1.28 CUP 30.69
20.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5K MX$387.0K
$67.7K CUP 1.6M
-66.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1K MX$447.3K
$76.3K CUP 1.8M
-65.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$91.4 MX$1,569
$34.93 CUP 838
161.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.20 MX$433
$39.81 CUP 955
-36.70%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.24 MX$536
$251 CUP 6,028
-87.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 MX$1,154
$39.76 CUP 954
69.01%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.11 MX$500
$15.21 CUP 365
91.39%
Cinema Ticket
$4.86 MX$83.5
$1.02 CUP 24.40
376.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$224 MX$3,839
$114 CUP 2,741
95.81%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,229 MX$72.6K
$11.0K CUP 262.9K
-61.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.10 MX$808
$39.85 CUP 957
18.19%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.29 MX$760
$29.69 CUP 713
49.17%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.1 MX$1,375
$74.1 CUP 1,778
8.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.7 MX$1,591
$79.1 CUP 1,898
17.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,063 MX$18.2K
$369 CUP 8,858
187.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$390 MX$6,698
$378 CUP 9,073
3.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,149 MX$36.9K
$1,040 CUP 25.0K
106.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,272 MX$21.8K
$609 CUP 14.6K
108.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,001 MX$68.7K
$391 CUP 9,376
924.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,502 MX$111.6K
$346 CUP 8,314
1776.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$758 MX$13.0K
$53.9 CUP 1,293
1306.90%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
8.33
37.45%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Yaguajay: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 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 1307% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $18.00 in Yaguajay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $242 – 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 3%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,837 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 and in Yaguajay?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,225 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 47% less in Yaguajay. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Yaguajay?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Yaguajay, where all-in costs run around $1,225, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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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