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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $653 in Ambon versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,004 in Ambon versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,354 in Ambon versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Ambon costs roughly 49% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ambon 51% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$0.95 Rp 17.0K

$11.87 MX$204

-92.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.09 Rp 216.5K

$42.90 MX$736

-71.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$10.65 MX$183

-68.83%

Cappuccino

$1.73 Rp 31.0K

$3.45 MX$59.2

-49.86%

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

$0.51 Rp 9,159

$1.50 MX$25.81

-66.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 Rp 4,266

$0.95 MX$16.28

-74.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 Rp 44.8K

$3.03 MX$51.9

-17.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 Rp 63.0K

$4.61 MX$79.1

-23.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

$1.38 MX$23.61

-14.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

$1.85 MX$31.70

-36.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 Rp 16.1K

$1.61 MX$27.65

-44.10%

Eggs

$1.52 Rp 27.2K

$2.59 MX$44.51

-41.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.30 Rp 148.7K

$8.26 MX$142

0.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.15 Rp 56.4K

$8.37 MX$144

-62.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.83 Rp 140.3K

$10.66 MX$183

-26.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 Rp 42.7K

$2.63 MX$45.12

-9.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 Rp 25.6K

$1.49 MX$25.53

-4.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 33.8K

$1.92 MX$32.94

-1.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

$2.09 MX$35.81

-28.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$1.86 MX$31.88

-29.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 Rp 33.5K

$2.26 MX$38.81

-17.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 Rp 17.5K

$1.06 MX$18.23

-8.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,379

$1.09 MX$18.67

-62.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$4.15 MX$71.2

-39.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.05 Rp 377.1K

$10.39 MX$178

102.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 Rp 36.0K

$1.72 MX$29.59

16.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 Rp 57.2K

$2.61 MX$44.85

22.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,312

$0.54 MX$9.30

-44.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.55 Rp 171.1K

$26.94 MX$462

-64.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 Rp 10.2K

$3.13 MX$53.7

-81.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 Rp 6,770

$2.51 MX$43.09

-84.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 Rp 53.7K

$3.15 MX$54.1

-4.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

$1.27 MX$21.88

-34.65%

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

$24.2K Rp 433.1M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-20.41%

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

$28.0K Rp 500.8M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

18.62%

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

$68.6 Rp 1.2M

$83.0 MX$1,425

-17.30%

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

$4.24 Rp 75.9K

$22.71 MX$390

-81.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.52 Rp 403.5K

$29.46 MX$506

-23.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.02 Rp 412.4K

$51.0 MX$875

-54.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.22 Rp 111.4K

$18.33 MX$315

-66.07%

Cinema Ticket

$3.16 Rp 56.6K

$4.93 MX$84.5

-35.90%

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

$95.2 Rp 1.7M

$197 MX$3,386

-51.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,658 Rp 137.2M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

45.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.09 Rp 754.1K

$36.90 MX$633

14.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.27 Rp 542.2K

$39.89 MX$685

-24.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.4 Rp 1.2M

$80.0 MX$1,373

-15.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 Rp 1.3M

$89.5 MX$1,536

-16.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$260 Rp 4.7M

$956 MX$16.4K

-72.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$159 Rp 2.9M

$477 MX$8,189

-66.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 Rp 10.3M

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-65.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 Rp 6.1M

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-72.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,330 Rp 23.8M

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-66.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$685 Rp 12.3M

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-89.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$667 MX$11.4K

-74.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

11.42

-19.88%

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

Last update for Ambon: June 9, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $260 in Ambon and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 295% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $12.00 in Ambon vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $250 per month, with Ambon 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

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

Ambon wins on cost – living expenses run 94% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ambon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 295% 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: $260 in Ambon versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $653 per month in Ambon versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 94% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ambon runs roughly 182% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $653 in Ambon versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ambon but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Ambon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ambon delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $653 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ambon hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ambon and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ambon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 94% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.