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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Yaguajay vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,691 per month in Yaguajay vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,179 per month in Yaguajay vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Yaguajay is about 4% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Yaguajay and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Yaguajay 10% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Yaguajay
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.99 CUP 144
$11.72 MX$203
-48.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$17.97 CUP 431
$41.89 MX$725
-57.10%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.90 CUP 166
$10.51 MX$182
-34.35%
Cappuccino
$1.28 CUP 30.62
$3.59 MX$62.0
-64.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.23 CUP 29.53
$1.51 MX$26.10
-18.54%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11 CUP 26.66
$0.92 MX$15.83
20.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.47 CUP 35.19
$2.96 MX$51.2
-50.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70 CUP 40.83
$4.41 MX$76.3
-61.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Yaguajay
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.98 CUP 71.5
$1.40 MX$24.16
112.86%
White Bread (500g)
$0.77 CUP 18.46
$1.88 MX$32.60
-59.04%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.37 CUP 56.8
$1.56 MX$26.97
51.92%
Eggs
$3.03 CUP 72.6
$2.61 MX$45.14
16.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.46 CUP 131
$8.32 MX$144
-34.38%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.23 CUP 125
$8.35 MX$145
-37.37%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.88 CUP 285
$10.86 MX$188
9.39%
Apples (1kg)
$4.80 CUP 115
$2.71 MX$46.93
77.12%
Banana (1kg)
$1.13 CUP 27.03
$1.51 MX$26.04
-25.17%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.27 CUP 30.46
$1.87 MX$32.41
-32.09%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.32 CUP 31.79
$2.19 MX$37.89
-39.73%
Potato (1kg)
$1.83 CUP 43.97
$1.86 MX$32.14
-1.61%
Onion (1kg)
$2.79 CUP 66.9
$2.23 MX$38.59
25.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.97 CUP 23.34
$1.07 MX$18.48
-9.35%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 CUP 26.09
$1.09 MX$18.79
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.45 CUP 82.8
$4.19 MX$72.4
-17.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.16 CUP 244
$10.43 MX$180
-2.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 CUP 42.69
$1.66 MX$28.68
7.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.97 CUP 47.39
$2.61 MX$45.19
-24.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Yaguajay
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.21 CUP 5.14
$0.54 MX$9.37
-61.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.78 CUP 475
$26.16 MX$453
-24.39%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.97 CUP 47.24
$3.08 MX$53.3
-36.04%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.41 CUP 9.88
$2.40 MX$41.61
-82.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.39 CUP 489
$3.13 MX$54.1
551.44%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.26 CUP 30.25
$1.31 MX$22.69
-3.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$68.7K CUP 1.6M
$29.8K MX$515.7K
130.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$74.9K CUP 1.8M
$23.3K MX$403.5K
221.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yaguajay
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$35.63 CUP 855
$81.3 MX$1,406
-56.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$40.20 CUP 965
$22.56 MX$390
78.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$246 CUP 5,901
$30.05 MX$520
718.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Yaguajay
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.53 CUP 973
$52.9 MX$915
-23.40%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.13 CUP 363
$18.39 MX$318
-17.73%
Cinema Ticket
$1.01 CUP 24.32
$4.92 MX$85.1
-79.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Yaguajay
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$115 CUP 2,769
$201 MX$3,474
-42.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K CUP 271.8K
$5,175 MX$89.5K
118.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Yaguajay
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.67 CUP 976
$35.92 MX$622
13.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.44 CUP 707
$40.13 MX$694
-26.64%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$73.8 CUP 1,771
$79.7 MX$1,379
-7.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.6 CUP 1,910
$86.5 MX$1,496
-7.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Yaguajay
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$360 CUP 8,634
$978 MX$16.9K
-63.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$386 CUP 9,255
$470 MX$8,140
-18.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,020 CUP 24.5K
$1,651 MX$28.6K
-38.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$604 CUP 14.5K
$1,203 MX$20.8K
-49.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$388 CUP 9,317
$3,953 MX$68.4K
-90.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$347 CUP 8,320
$6,607 MX$114.3K
-94.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Yaguajay
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$53.7 CUP 1,289
$677 MX$11.7K
-92.06%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.33
11.42
-27.06%

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

Last update for Yaguajay: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $360 in Yaguajay versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. 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 1160% 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 $18.00 in Yaguajay versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $252 – making Yaguajay the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Yaguajay vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Yaguajay?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 5%, 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 $1,805 per month in Yaguajay and $1,890 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Yaguajay and in Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Yaguajay and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. 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 living in Yaguajay or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Yaguajay, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Yaguajay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Yaguajay or Playa del Carmen 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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