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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,113 per month in Adama vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,782 per month in Adama vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,451 per month in Adama vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Adama is about 12% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Adama and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Adama 17% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ETB 480

$11.87 MX$204

-74.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.50 ETB 5,468

$42.90 MX$736

-19.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.10 ETB 808

$10.65 MX$183

-52.11%

Cappuccino

$1.27 ETB 202

$3.45 MX$59.2

-63.19%

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

$0.69 ETB 109

$1.50 MX$25.81

-54.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ETB 49.29

$0.95 MX$16.28

-67.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ETB 156

$3.03 MX$51.9

-67.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 ETB 478

$4.61 MX$79.1

-34.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 ETB 231

$1.38 MX$23.61

5.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 ETB 214

$1.85 MX$31.70

-27.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 ETB 336

$1.61 MX$27.65

31.68%

Eggs

$2.41 ETB 382

$2.59 MX$44.51

-6.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.22 ETB 1,145

$8.26 MX$142

-12.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.10 ETB 2,235

$8.37 MX$144

68.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.43 ETB 2,129

$10.66 MX$183

25.98%

Apples (1kg)

$6.75 ETB 1,070

$2.63 MX$45.12

156.65%

Banana (1kg)

$0.96 ETB 152

$1.49 MX$25.53

-35.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ETB 347

$1.92 MX$32.94

14.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 ETB 156

$2.09 MX$35.81

-53.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ETB 107

$1.86 MX$31.88

-63.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 ETB 300

$2.26 MX$38.81

-16.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ETB 109

$1.06 MX$18.23

-34.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ETB 99.8

$1.09 MX$18.67

-42.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ETB 623

$4.15 MX$71.2

-5.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.53 ETB 876

$10.39 MX$178

-46.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 ETB 165

$1.72 MX$29.59

-39.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ETB 300

$2.61 MX$44.85

-27.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 ETB 228

$3.13 MX$53.7

-53.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ETB 46.09

$2.51 MX$43.09

-88.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 ETB 324

$3.15 MX$54.1

-34.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ETB 205

$1.27 MX$21.88

1.57%

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

$54.7K ETB 8.7M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

79.98%

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

$54.7K ETB 8.7M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

132.28%

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

$162 ETB 25.6K

$83.0 MX$1,425

94.78%

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

$11.84 ETB 1,877

$22.71 MX$390

-47.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$129 ETB 20.4K

$29.46 MX$506

336.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$5.63 ETB 893

$4.93 MX$84.5

14.20%

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

$80.5 ETB 12.8K

$197 MX$3,386

-59.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.5K ETB 6.4M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

666.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.44 ETB 7,361

$36.90 MX$633

25.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.1 ETB 11.9K

$39.89 MX$685

88.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 ETB 14.6K

$80.0 MX$1,373

15.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 ETB 17.8K

$89.5 MX$1,536

25.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 ETB 80.6K

$956 MX$16.4K

-46.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$302 ETB 47.9K

$477 MX$8,189

-36.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 ETB 159.3K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-38.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$791 ETB 125.4K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-35.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$101 ETB 15.9K

$667 MX$11.4K

-84.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

48.86%

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

Last update for Adama: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $509 in Adama versus $956 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 564% 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 $34.00 in Adama versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $268 in Adama vs $250 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,113 in Adama, $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 14% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,670 per month in Adama and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Adama, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Adama and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Adama, where all-in costs run around $1,113, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Adama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,113 in Adama to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Adama. 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.