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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,687 in Abuja versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,850 in Abuja versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,012 in Abuja versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Abuja is roughly 31% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Abuja is 26% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ₦2,812

$11.94 MX$209

-82.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.83 ₦61.7K

$42.75 MX$748

4.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.70 ₦7,846

$10.59 MX$185

-46.18%

Cappuccino

$2.54 ₦3,501

$3.62 MX$63.4

-29.83%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₦760

$1.47 MX$25.69

-62.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₦573

$0.94 MX$16.51

-55.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.07 ₦1,478

$3.09 MX$54.1

-65.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 ₦1,639

$4.46 MX$78.0

-73.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.03 ₦4,179

$1.43 MX$24.94

111.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 ₦1,725

$1.88 MX$32.97

-33.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₦3,457

$1.63 MX$28.50

53.99%

Eggs

$1.50 ₦2,072

$2.64 MX$46.26

-43.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.30 ₦7,292

$8.21 MX$144

-35.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.60 ₦6,335

$8.29 MX$145

-44.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.94 ₦5,429

$11.10 MX$194

-64.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 ₦4,223

$2.65 MX$46.40

15.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₦2,442

$1.50 MX$26.26

18.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ₦3,009

$1.99 MX$34.79

10.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 ₦2,398

$2.08 MX$36.33

-16.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 ₦2,967

$1.79 MX$31.29

20.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ₦3,486

$2.18 MX$38.09

16.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ₦835

$1.08 MX$18.84

-43.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₦395

$1.04 MX$18.15

-72.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 ₦3,390

$3.97 MX$69.5

-38.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.09 ₦9,760

$10.20 MX$179

-30.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 ₦1,518

$1.73 MX$30.22

-36.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ₦1,964

$2.50 MX$43.71

-42.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 ₦883

$0.52 MX$9.07

23.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 ₦1,247

$3.14 MX$55.0

-71.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ₦1,408

$2.40 MX$42.04

-57.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 ₦5,901

$3.09 MX$54.0

38.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 ₦1,060

$1.27 MX$22.28

-39.37%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$30.9K MX$540.4K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.3K MX$408.0K

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$30.29 ₦41.7K

$82.0 MX$1,435

-63.07%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$10.91 ₦15.0K

$22.45 MX$393

-51.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.37 ₦58.3K

$29.66 MX$519

42.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.96 ₦60.5K

$51.9 MX$908

-15.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.60 ₦14.6K

$18.67 MX$327

-43.22%

Cinema Ticket

$8.26 ₦11.4K

$4.97 MX$87.0

66.20%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$132 ₦181.5K

$198 MX$3,462

-33.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,979 ₦2.7M

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-62.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.71 ₦40.9K

$36.34 MX$636

-18.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.33 ₦40.4K

$40.05 MX$701

-26.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 ₦93.7K

$79.9 MX$1,398

-14.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.3 ₦117.4K

$88.9 MX$1,555

-4.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,487 ₦3.4M

$963 MX$16.9K

158.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 ₦1.6M

$465 MX$8,133

146.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,558 ₦7.7M

$1,596 MX$27.9K

248.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,731 ₦3.8M

$1,209 MX$21.2K

125.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,141 ₦1.6M

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-71.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,125 ₦1.5M

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-82.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$285 ₦392.1K

$720 MX$12.6K

-60.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.5

11.42

97.02%

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

Last update for Abuja: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,487 in Abuja and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 153% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Abuja vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $251, with Abuja cheaper for home cooking.

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

Abuja vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Abuja and Playa del Carmen differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($1,687 vs $1,287 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 153% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,487 in Abuja versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $132 in Abuja versus $198 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $45.00 in Abuja. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,687 in Abuja, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Abuja. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Abuja. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.