Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Abuja and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Abuja: $991 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

48

Cost of Living Index in Abuja
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Abuja Living Index
58

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
Learn more

Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Abuja

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$991

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Abuja 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 Abuja and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $991 in Abuja versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen.

Abuja $991
Playa del Carmen $1,204

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,872 in Abuja versus $2,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Abuja $1,872
Playa del Carmen $2,082

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,753 in Abuja versus $2,959 in Playa del Carmen.

Abuja $2,753
Playa del Carmen $2,959

Living in Abuja costs roughly 18% less than in Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Abuja 27% lower, Playa del Carmen 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ₦2,611

$10.92 MX$205

-82.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.33 ₦40.8K

$43.37 MX$814

-30.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.08 ₦5,483

$11.78 MX$221

-65.37%

Cappuccino

$3.28 ₦4,415

$3.81 MX$71.5

-13.91%

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

$0.43 ₦575

$1.28 MX$24.07

-66.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₦959

$0.78 MX$14.70

-8.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.97 ₦1,306

$3.17 MX$59.5

-69.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ₦2,656

$4.93 MX$92.7

-60.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.59 ₦4,830

$1.41 MX$26.40

154.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 ₦1,737

$2.22 MX$41.62

-41.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 ₦3,058

$1.42 MX$26.61

59.86%

Eggs

$1.81 ₦2,428

$2.52 MX$47.36

-28.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 ₦14.9K

$7.26 MX$136

53.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ₦7,189

$7.70 MX$144

-30.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.82 ₦7,822

$12.69 MX$238

-54.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 ₦2,785

$2.78 MX$52.3

-25.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 ₦2,013

$1.37 MX$25.68

9.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ₦2,046

$2.55 MX$47.89

-40.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 ₦3,078

$2.12 MX$39.86

8.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 ₦2,401

$1.94 MX$36.39

-7.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 ₦3,335

$1.89 MX$35.41

31.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 ₦797

$1.15 MX$21.53

-48.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₦528

$1.18 MX$22.13

-66.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 ₦2,633

$4.30 MX$80.6

-54.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 ₦7,845

$9.95 MX$187

-41.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₦1,610

$1.58 MX$29.73

-24.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ₦2,492

$2.67 MX$50.1

-30.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ₦622

$0.55 MX$10.39

-16.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.58 ₦43.8K

$26.62 MX$500

22.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 ₦826

$4.97 MX$93.3

-87.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 ₦1,090

$3.33 MX$62.5

-75.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₦2,482

$5.36 MX$101

-65.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 ₦768

$1.44 MX$27.11

-60.42%

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

$26.1K ₦35.1M

$20.7K MX$388.0K

26.35%

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

$37.3K ₦50.2M

$23.5K MX$440.5K

59.06%

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

$110 ₦148.3K

$84.8 MX$1,592

30.04%

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

$6.48 ₦8,717

$23.41 MX$439

-72.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.14 ₦39.2K

$28.66 MX$538

1.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.74 ₦34.6K

$57.1 MX$1,071

-54.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.62 ₦12.9K

$28.91 MX$543

-66.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.31 ₦8,485

$5.14 MX$96.5

22.76%

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

$44.68 ₦60.1K

$207 MX$3,878

-78.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,103 ₦4.2M

$3,927 MX$73.7K

-21.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.03 ₦35.0K

$43.35 MX$814

-39.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.8 ₦81.7K

$41.44 MX$778

46.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 ₦102.9K

$74.2 MX$1,393

3.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ₦141.8K

$89.3 MX$1,676

18.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 ₦792.6K

$980 MX$18.4K

-39.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 ₦467.4K

$381 MX$7,150

-8.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,405 ₦1.9M

$1,708 MX$32.1K

-17.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 ₦1.8M

$1,075 MX$20.2K

25.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$699 ₦940.4K

$3,943 MX$74.0K

-82.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$378 ₦508.7K

$6,158 MX$115.6K

-93.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$162 ₦218.3K

$735 MX$13.8K

-77.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.5

11.45

96.51%

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

Last update for Abuja: October 24, 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

Abuja

$348 35.1%

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6% 9.6% $33

Groceries & Markets

Abuja

$218 22%

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2% 16.7% $37

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Abuja

$146 14.7%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4% 6.2% $9

Clothing & Footwear

Abuja

$121 12.2%

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3% 7.6% $9.2

Eating Out

Abuja

$81 8.1%

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8% 151% $122

Getting Around

Abuja

$39 4%

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2% 29.1% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Abuja

$38 3.9%

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6% 75.5% $29

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $589 in Abuja and $980 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays about 4.5 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $30 in Abuja vs $43 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $255 per month, with Abuja cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇳🇬 Abuja

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

10:31 10:31 AM

04:31 4:31 AM

6 h behind Abuja

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

776,298 Capital

149,923

💱 Currency

Nigerian Naira NGN ₦

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 NGN = 7.44 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.66 EUR

100 MXN = 5.33 USD

100 MXN = 4.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to NGN – Nigerian Naira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇬 Nigerian Naira (₦)

Nigerian Naira exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 1,345 NGN (10,000 NGN = 7.44 USD). 1 EUR = 1,502 NGN (10,000 NGN = 6.66 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

USD to NGN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Abuja Playa del Carmen 10,120 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Abuja
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

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

Total monthly costs including rent come to $991 in Abuja and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, so Abuja is about 18% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 78% lower in Abuja. 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: $589 in Abuja versus $980 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $991 per month in Abuja versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen – Abuja is about 18% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 18% less than in Abuja. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

At $991 in Abuja versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Abuja but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Abuja 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.

It comes down to priorities – Abuja wins on affordability, Playa del Carmen on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.