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: $636 in Ambon versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,015 in Ambon versus $2,336 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,395 in Ambon versus $3,341 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Ambon costs roughly 52% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ambon 54% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.14 Rp 20.3K

$13.02 MX$221

-91.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.97 Rp 195.0K

$46.25 MX$784

-76.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.83 Rp 68.0K

$12.59 MX$213

-69.58%

Cappuccino

$1.54 Rp 27.4K

$4.00 MX$67.9

-61.50%

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

$0.46 Rp 8,210

$1.42 MX$24.08

-67.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 Rp 5,132

$0.81 MX$13.73

-64.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 Rp 40.8K

$3.05 MX$51.7

-24.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 Rp 59.7K

$6.82 MX$116

-50.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 Rp 19.1K

$1.71 MX$29.04

-37.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$2.22 MX$37.62

-53.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$1.72 MX$29.13

-52.33%

Eggs

$1.44 Rp 25.6K

$2.71 MX$45.99

-46.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.20 Rp 128.0K

$9.37 MX$159

-23.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.04 Rp 54.0K

$8.86 MX$150

-65.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 Rp 137.0K

$12.78 MX$217

-39.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.1K

$3.13 MX$53.0

-26.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.6K

$1.55 MX$26.24

-14.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 Rp 33.4K

$2.15 MX$36.51

-12.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 Rp 22.7K

$2.35 MX$39.89

-45.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 Rp 22.3K

$2.02 MX$34.23

-38.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.5K

$1.99 MX$33.67

0.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.24 MX$21.09

-35.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 7,791

$1.19 MX$20.21

-63.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 Rp 39.4K

$4.65 MX$78.8

-52.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.12 Rp 357.7K

$10.47 MX$177

92.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 Rp 33.7K

$1.58 MX$26.82

19.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 Rp 52.3K

$2.92 MX$49.48

0.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,745

$0.56 MX$9.53

-51.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.78 Rp 298.3K

$29.76 MX$504

-43.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 Rp 8,997

$5.32 MX$90.2

-90.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 Rp 6,090

$3.72 MX$63.0

-90.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 Rp 52.3K

$5.78 MX$97.9

-49.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

$1.55 MX$26.27

-51.61%

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

$22.9K Rp 407.8M

$22.4K MX$379.1K

2.56%

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

$33.2K Rp 589.3M

$25.6K MX$433.3K

29.67%

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

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

$89.3 MX$1,513

-12.31%

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

$5.65 Rp 100.4K

$23.30 MX$395

-75.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.14 Rp 340.2K

$31.72 MX$538

-39.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.28 Rp 324.8K

$68.8 MX$1,165

-73.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.16 Rp 145.0K

$29.40 MX$498

-72.24%

Cinema Ticket

$1.42 Rp 25.3K

$5.06 MX$85.7

-71.94%

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

$94.7 Rp 1.7M

$222 MX$3,765

-57.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,944 Rp 141.2M

$4,293 MX$72.7K

85.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.30 Rp 751.9K

$46.21 MX$783

-8.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.81 Rp 512.1K

$44.43 MX$753

-35.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 Rp 1.3M

$95.5 MX$1,618

-25.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 Rp 1.2M

$92.5 MX$1,568

-24.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$225 Rp 4.0M

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-78.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 Rp 2.7M

$393 MX$6,663

-61.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 Rp 8.5M

$1,988 MX$33.7K

-75.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 Rp 7.3M

$1,304 MX$22.1K

-68.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,261 Rp 22.4M

$4,037 MX$68.4K

-68.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$653 Rp 11.6M

$6,627 MX$112.3K

-90.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$171 Rp 3.0M

$747 MX$12.7K

-77.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.67

11.6

-16.64%

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

Last update for Ambon: August 17, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $225 in Ambon and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 338% 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: $11.00 in Ambon vs $46.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $277 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 109% 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, salaries run 338% 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: $225 in Ambon versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $636 per month in Ambon versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen – a 109% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ambon runs roughly 77% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $636 in Ambon versus $1,330 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 $636 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 109% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.