😐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 Carmen4% lower, Yaguajay9% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$208
$5.90CUP 142
102.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$744
$17.69CUP 425
141.66%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$184
$7.01CUP 168
51.07%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.0
$1.33CUP 31.92
172.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.54
$1.28CUP 30.62
14.84%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.41
$1.07CUP 25.76
-12.15%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$53.8
$1.46CUP 35.02
111.64%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$77.6
$1.73CUP 41.57
157.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.80
$2.86CUP 68.5
-50.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.79
$0.83CUP 20.02
126.51%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.34
$2.37CUP 56.9
-31.22%
Eggs
$2.64MX$45.99
$3.07CUP 73.6
-14.01%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$143
$5.73CUP 138
43.28%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$144
$5.13CUP 123
61.60%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$193
$11.94CUP 287
-7.04%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.14
$4.93CUP 118
-46.25%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.11
$1.08CUP 26.00
38.89%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.59
$1.32CUP 31.77
50.76%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.13
$1.33CUP 31.84
56.39%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.11
$1.75CUP 42.03
2.29%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$37.87
$2.69CUP 64.7
-18.96%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.73
$1.02CUP 24.56
5.88%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.04
$1.08CUP 25.89
-3.70%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.1
$3.56CUP 85.4
11.52%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$178
$10.07CUP 242
1.29%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.04
$1.78CUP 42.77
-2.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.46
$1.92CUP 45.97
30.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.02
$0.19CUP 4.47
173.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$469
$20.08CUP 482
34.31%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$54.7
$2.02CUP 48.52
55.45%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$41.80
$0.41CUP 9.95
485.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$53.7
$19.65CUP 472
-84.27%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.16
$1.23CUP 29.42
3.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$537.3K
$67.1KCUP 1.6M
-53.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$405.7K
$76.5KCUP 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)
$82.0MX$1,427
$34.84CUP 836
135.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$391
$40.57CUP 974
-44.66%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$516
$254CUP 6,087
-88.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$903
$40.72CUP 977
27.38%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$325
$15.01CUP 360
24.38%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$86.5
$0.98CUP 23.50
407.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,442
$117CUP 2,809
69.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$91.7K
$11.2KCUP 269.7K
-53.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$632
$39.66CUP 952
-8.37%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$697
$29.86CUP 717
34.13%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,390
$76.2CUP 1,829
4.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,547
$80.0CUP 1,920
11.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.8K
$366CUP 8,777
163.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,086
$385CUP 9,252
20.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.8K
$1,008CUP 24.2K
58.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.0K
$604CUP 14.5K
100.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$68.6K
$395CUP 9,479
897.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.2K
$339CUP 8,127
1804.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.5K
$53.4CUP 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.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared