Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Yuma, AZ and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,122 in Yuma, AZ, rent and utilities included – about $11,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Yuma, AZ, United States
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Yuma, AZ
🇺🇸 United States
$2,122
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Yuma, AZ and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Yuma, AZ and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,122 per month in Yuma, AZ vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Yuma, AZ $2,122
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $3,110 per month in Yuma, AZ vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Yuma, AZ $3,110
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $4,098 per month in Yuma, AZ vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Yuma, AZ $4,098
  • Playa del Carmen $2,959

Yuma, AZ costs about 76% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Yuma, AZ sits 56% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Yuma, AZ
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.25 $13.25
$10.92 MX$204
21.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.14 $44.14
$43.37 MX$810
1.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.24 $9.24
$11.78 MX$220
-21.56%
Cappuccino
$5.61 $5.61
$3.81 MX$71.2
47.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 $3.06
$1.28 MX$23.96
139.06%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44 $2.44
$0.78 MX$14.63
212.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.55 $5.55
$3.17 MX$59.2
75.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.64 $5.64
$4.93 MX$92.2
14.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Yuma, AZ
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.79 $0.79
$1.41 MX$26.28
-43.97%
White Bread (500g)
$3.85 $3.85
$2.22 MX$41.43
73.42%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.32 $3.32
$1.42 MX$26.48
133.80%
Eggs
$3.72 $3.72
$2.52 MX$47.14
47.62%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.21 $9.21
$7.26 MX$136
26.86%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.93 $9.93
$7.70 MX$144
28.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.94 $14.94
$12.69 MX$237
17.73%
Apples (1kg)
$5.45 $5.45
$2.78 MX$52.0
96.04%
Banana (1kg)
$1.81 $1.81
$1.37 MX$25.56
32.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.20 $4.20
$2.55 MX$47.66
64.71%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.74 $2.74
$2.12 MX$39.67
29.25%
Potato (1kg)
$3.33 $3.33
$1.94 MX$36.22
71.65%
Onion (1kg)
$3.13 $3.13
$1.89 MX$35.24
65.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.42 $1.42
$1.15 MX$21.42
23.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.60 $1.60
$1.18 MX$22.03
35.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.01 $11.01
$4.30 MX$80.3
156.05%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.04 $14.04
$9.95 MX$186
41.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 $1.71
$1.58 MX$29.59
8.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.01 $3.01
$2.67 MX$49.91
12.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Yuma, AZ
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.94 $1.94
$0.55 MX$10.34
252.73%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$47.24 $47.24
$26.62 MX$497
77.46%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.77 $2.77
$4.97 MX$92.9
-44.27%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.40 $1.40
$3.33 MX$62.2
-57.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.85 $32.85
$5.36 MX$100
512.87%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.10 $1.10
$1.44 MX$26.98
-23.61%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.1K $24.1K
$20.7K MX$386.2K
16.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.9K $24.9K
$23.5K MX$438.5K
5.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yuma, AZ
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$221 $221
$84.8 MX$1,584
161.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$53.4 $53.4
$23.41 MX$437
128.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$67.3 $67.3
$28.66 MX$535
134.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Yuma, AZ
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$33.62 $33.62
$57.1 MX$1,066
-41.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.95 $14.95
$28.91 MX$540
-48.29%
Cinema Ticket
$10.87 $10.87
$5.14 MX$96.0
111.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Yuma, AZ
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$999 $999
$207 MX$3,860
383.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.4K $23.4K
$3,927 MX$73.4K
495.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Yuma, AZ
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4 $53.4
$43.35 MX$810
23.09%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.76 $46.76
$41.44 MX$774
12.84%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$71.8 $71.8
$74.2 MX$1,386
-3.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.5 $71.5
$89.3 MX$1,668
-19.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Yuma, AZ
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 $1,006
$980 MX$18.3K
2.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$939 $939
$381 MX$7,116
146.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,745 $1,745
$1,708 MX$31.9K
2.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,655 $1,655
$1,075 MX$20.1K
53.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,441 $2,441
$3,943 MX$73.7K
-38.09%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,449 $2,449
$6,158 MX$115.1K
-60.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Yuma, AZ
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,678 $3,678
$735 MX$13.7K
400.76%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.63
11.45
-42.10%

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

Last update for Yuma, AZ: October 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Yuma, AZ
$939
Playa del Carmen
$381 59.4% $558
Groceries & Markets
Yuma, AZ
$349
Playa del Carmen
$255 27% $94
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yuma, AZ
$342
Playa del Carmen
$137 60% $205
Eating Out
Yuma, AZ
$262
Playa del Carmen
$202 22.8% $60
Clothing & Footwear
Yuma, AZ
$110
Playa del Carmen
$112 2% $2.2
Getting Around
Yuma, AZ
$65
Playa del Carmen
$50 22.1% $14
Sport & Entertainment
Yuma, AZ
$55
Playa del Carmen
$67 21.6% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Yuma, AZ versus $980 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 in Yuma, AZ are about 5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44 in Yuma, AZ versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $349 vs $255 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Yuma, AZ
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
04:07 4:07 AM
06:07 6:07 AM
2 h ahead of Yuma, AZ
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
93,064
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.899 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.69 MXN (100 MXN = 5.35 USD). 1 EUR = 20.8 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Yuma, AZ Playa del Carmen 3,040 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Yuma, AZ
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Yuma, AZ vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Yuma, AZ?
Yes – Yuma, AZ is pricier by about 76%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,183 per month in Yuma, AZ and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What is the rent difference between Yuma, AZ and Playa del Carmen?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,006 in Yuma, AZ and $980 in Playa del Carmen. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
What are total monthly expenses in Yuma, AZ and in Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,122 in Yuma, AZ and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. That’s a gap of about 76%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $999 per month in Yuma, AZ and $207 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Yuma, AZ or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Yuma, AZ at $2,122. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Yuma, AZ it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Yuma, AZ or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Yuma, AZ makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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