Cost of Living Comparison Between Addis Ababa and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Addis Ababa and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,289 in Addis Ababa versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,927 in Addis Ababa versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,564 in Addis Ababa versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Addis Ababa is roughly 2% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Addis Ababa 6% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.02 ETB 646

$11.60 MX$200

-65.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.13 ETB 6,928

$47.11 MX$812

-8.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.64 ETB 1,067

$11.88 MX$205

-44.11%

Cappuccino

$0.95 ETB 153

$3.98 MX$68.6

-76.13%

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

$0.59 ETB 94.5

$1.43 MX$24.60

-58.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ETB 103

$0.82 MX$14.22

-21.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.81 ETB 130

$3.19 MX$55.0

-74.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ETB 368

$6.79 MX$117

-66.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 ETB 175

$1.68 MX$28.89

-35.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 ETB 194

$2.20 MX$37.88

-45.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ETB 354

$1.71 MX$29.45

28.65%

Eggs

$1.81 ETB 291

$2.74 MX$47.26

-33.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.57 ETB 1,216

$9.58 MX$165

-20.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.15 ETB 1,630

$9.01 MX$155

12.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.29 ETB 1,493

$12.81 MX$221

-27.48%

Apples (1kg)

$5.48 ETB 881

$2.89 MX$49.81

89.62%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 ETB 102

$1.50 MX$25.81

-58.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ETB 355

$2.15 MX$37.03

2.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 ETB 111

$2.26 MX$38.96

-69.47%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 ETB 80.2

$1.98 MX$34.15

-74.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ETB 170

$1.99 MX$34.30

-46.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ETB 103

$1.23 MX$21.28

-47.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ETB 98.3

$1.20 MX$20.63

-49.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.18 ETB 1,314

$4.55 MX$78.5

79.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.64 ETB 905

$10.37 MX$179

-45.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ETB 116

$1.62 MX$27.91

-55.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 ETB 196

$2.88 MX$49.67

-57.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ETB 82.9

$0.60 MX$10.35

-13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.71 ETB 3,326

$28.80 MX$497

-28.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.30 ETB 209

$5.39 MX$92.9

-75.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 43.30

$3.73 MX$64.3

-92.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 ETB 314

$5.77 MX$99.5

-66.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 ETB 145

$1.54 MX$26.48

-41.56%

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

$54.1K ETB 8.7M

$22.5K MX$388.8K

139.78%

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

$55.2K ETB 8.9M

$26.1K MX$449.3K

111.69%

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

$202 ETB 32.5K

$91.4 MX$1,576

121.54%

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

$7.10 ETB 1,140

$25.20 MX$435

-71.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$208 ETB 33.4K

$31.24 MX$539

566.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 ETB 7,191

$67.2 MX$1,159

-33.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.56 ETB 5,874

$29.11 MX$502

25.59%

Cinema Ticket

$3.66 ETB 588

$4.86 MX$83.8

-24.69%

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

$139 ETB 22.3K

$224 MX$3,856

-37.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K ETB 4.9M

$4,229 MX$72.9K

623.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.99 ETB 5,300

$47.10 MX$812

-29.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.9 ETB 11.2K

$44.29 MX$764

57.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 ETB 12.6K

$80.1 MX$1,381

-1.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ETB 13.2K

$92.7 MX$1,598

-11.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$694 ETB 111.5K

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-34.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 ETB 63.2K

$390 MX$6,728

0.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,237 ETB 359.4K

$2,149 MX$37.1K

4.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 ETB 123.8K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-39.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,990 ETB 319.7K

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-50.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,023 ETB 164.3K

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-84.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$206 ETB 33.1K

$758 MX$13.1K

-72.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

11.45

61.57%

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

Last update for Addis Ababa: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $694 in Addis Ababa and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 268% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $43.00 in Addis Ababa vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $215 vs $276 per month, with Addis Ababa cheaper across the board.

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

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

Addis Ababa and Playa del Carmen differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,289 vs $1,266 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 268% lower in Playa del Carmen. 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: $694 in Addis Ababa versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,289 per month in Addis Ababa versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 39% less than in Addis Ababa. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,289 in Addis Ababa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Addis Ababa. 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 2% less than in Addis Ababa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.