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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $485 in Ambatolampy versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $723 in Ambatolampy versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $960 in Ambatolampy versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Ambatolampy costs roughly 63% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ambatolampy 65% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 MGA 12.2K

$11.96 MX$203

-76.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.57 MGA 45.8K

$47.38 MX$804

-77.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 MGA 25.4K

$11.75 MX$199

-50.21%

Cappuccino

$1.72 MGA 7,462

$4.12 MX$70.0

-58.25%

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

$0.84 MGA 3,627

$1.40 MX$23.74

-40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 MGA 2,018

$0.91 MX$15.48

-48.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 MGA 4,382

$3.21 MX$54.4

-68.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 MGA 10.3K

$7.07 MX$120

-66.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 MGA 3,640

$1.68 MX$28.44

-50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MGA 4,469

$2.15 MX$36.48

-52.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.75 MGA 3,242

$1.77 MX$30.10

-57.63%

Eggs

$2.06 MGA 8,921

$2.82 MX$47.76

-26.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 MGA 38.1K

$9.20 MX$156

-4.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.54 MGA 19.7K

$9.23 MX$157

-50.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.95 MGA 21.4K

$12.64 MX$214

-60.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 MGA 4,939

$2.95 MX$50.1

-61.36%

Banana (1kg)

$0.56 MGA 2,441

$1.58 MX$26.79

-64.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 MGA 4,549

$2.22 MX$37.70

-52.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 MGA 3,871

$2.36 MX$40.09

-62.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 MGA 2,493

$1.99 MX$33.81

-70.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 MGA 4,153

$1.98 MX$33.58

-51.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 MGA 1,406

$1.24 MX$21.04

-74.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 MGA 3,169

$1.21 MX$20.55

-39.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.64 MGA 7,124

$4.60 MX$78.1

-64.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.23 MGA 22.7K

$10.52 MX$178

-50.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 MGA 4,577

$1.69 MX$28.70

-37.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 MGA 8,265

$2.77 MX$47.06

-31.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 MGA 15.3K

$5.24 MX$88.8

-32.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 MGA 8,925

$3.65 MX$61.9

-43.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.61 MGA 20.0K

$5.78 MX$98.1

-20.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 MGA 3,635

$1.54 MX$26.09

-45.45%

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

$12.3K MGA 53.2M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

-46.13%

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

$26.7K MGA 115.7M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

3.44%

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

$77.5 MGA 335.8K

$90.7 MX$1,538

-14.51%

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

$17.12 MGA 74.2K

$25.19 MX$427

-32.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.0 MGA 251.3K

$31.75 MX$539

82.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$5.86 MGA 25.4K

$4.86 MX$82.5

20.58%

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

$26.15 MGA 113.3K

$226 MX$3,828

-88.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K MGA 65.9M

$4,194 MX$71.1K

262.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.19 MGA 130.8K

$47.38 MX$804

-36.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.97 MGA 121.2K

$43.45 MX$737

-35.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.2 MGA 338.9K

$80.2 MX$1,361

-2.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 MGA 309.7K

$91.4 MX$1,550

-21.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.75

11.45

37.55%

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

Last update for Ambatolampy: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $11.00 in Ambatolampy vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $145 vs $278 per month, with Ambatolampy 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

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

Ambatolampy wins on cost – living expenses run 169% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ambatolampy the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $727 in Ambatolampy and $1,958 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $26.15 in Ambatolampy versus $226 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 Ambatolampy – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $485 in Ambatolampy versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ambatolampy but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Ambatolampy the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ambatolampy delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $485 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ambatolampy hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Ambatolampy gentler on the wallet – expenses run 169% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.