😐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 Carmen7% lower, Yaguajay10% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.60MX$199
$5.94CUP 143
95.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.11MX$809
$18.02CUP 433
161.43%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.88MX$204
$7.02CUP 168
69.23%
Cappuccino
$3.98MX$68.2
$1.29CUP 30.87
208.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43MX$24.49
$1.24CUP 29.69
15.32%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82MX$14.16
$1.09CUP 26.16
-24.77%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.19MX$54.7
$1.47CUP 35.31
117.01%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.79MX$117
$1.79CUP 42.98
279.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.68MX$28.76
$2.96CUP 71.1
-43.24%
White Bread(500g)
$2.20MX$37.71
$0.81CUP 19.51
171.60%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.71MX$29.32
$2.38CUP 57.1
-28.15%
Eggs
$2.74MX$47.05
$2.93CUP 70.3
-6.48%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.58MX$164
$5.54CUP 133
72.92%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.01MX$155
$5.32CUP 128
69.36%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.81MX$220
$11.94CUP 286
7.29%
Apples(1kg)
$2.89MX$49.58
$4.86CUP 117
-40.53%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$25.70
$1.13CUP 27.03
32.74%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.15MX$36.87
$1.27CUP 30.37
69.29%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.26MX$38.79
$1.38CUP 33.02
63.77%
Potato(1kg)
$1.98MX$34.00
$1.83CUP 43.91
8.20%
Onion(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.15
$2.80CUP 67.3
-28.93%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.23MX$21.18
$0.97CUP 23.30
26.80%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20MX$20.54
$1.13CUP 27.06
6.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.55MX$78.1
$3.40CUP 81.7
33.82%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.37MX$178
$9.87CUP 237
5.07%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62MX$27.79
$1.80CUP 43.13
-10.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88MX$49.44
$1.94CUP 46.49
48.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.60MX$10.30
$0.18CUP 4.28
233.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$28.80MX$494
$19.60CUP 471
46.94%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.39MX$92.5
$2.02CUP 48.56
166.83%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.73MX$64.0
$0.41CUP 9.89
809.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.77MX$99.0
$19.77CUP 474
-70.81%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.54MX$26.37
$1.28CUP 30.69
20.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5KMX$387.0K
$67.7KCUP 1.6M
-66.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1KMX$447.3K
$76.3KCUP 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)
$91.4MX$1,569
$34.93CUP 838
161.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.20MX$433
$39.81CUP 955
-36.70%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.24MX$536
$251CUP 6,028
-87.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$67.2MX$1,154
$39.76CUP 954
69.01%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.11MX$500
$15.21CUP 365
91.39%
Cinema Ticket
$4.86MX$83.5
$1.02CUP 24.40
376.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$224MX$3,839
$114CUP 2,741
95.81%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,229MX$72.6K
$11.0KCUP 262.9K
-61.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.10MX$808
$39.85CUP 957
18.19%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.29MX$760
$29.69CUP 713
49.17%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.1MX$1,375
$74.1CUP 1,778
8.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.7MX$1,591
$79.1CUP 1,898
17.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,063MX$18.2K
$369CUP 8,858
187.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$390MX$6,698
$378CUP 9,073
3.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,149MX$36.9K
$1,040CUP 25.0K
106.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,272MX$21.8K
$609CUP 14.6K
108.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,001MX$68.7K
$391CUP 9,376
924.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,502MX$111.6K
$346CUP 8,314
1776.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Yaguajay
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$758MX$13.0K
$53.9CUP 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.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared