😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,576 in Amiens versus $1,294 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,353 in Amiens versus $2,189 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,129 in Amiens versus $3,084 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Living in Amiens is roughly 22% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Amiens is 18% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Amiens
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.47€15.04
$11.73MX$202
48.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.2€59.6
$41.78MX$719
65.58%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.52€9.92
$10.41MX$179
10.66%
Cappuccino
$3.82€3.29
$3.61MX$62.1
5.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.34€2.01
$1.46MX$25.06
60.27%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.13€0.97
$0.97MX$16.70
16.49%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.97€6.00
$2.92MX$50.3
138.70%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.25€4.52
$4.62MX$79.5
13.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Amiens
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.04€0.90
$1.43MX$24.59
-27.27%
White Bread(500g)
$1.82€1.57
$1.90MX$32.70
-4.21%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.55€2.20
$1.57MX$26.95
62.42%
Eggs
$4.02€3.46
$2.64MX$45.34
52.27%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$20.04€17.26
$8.44MX$145
137.44%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.92€11.13
$8.58MX$148
50.58%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$23.79€20.49
$11.00MX$189
116.27%
Apples(1kg)
$2.37€2.04
$2.70MX$46.51
-12.22%
Banana(1kg)
$2.11€1.82
$1.51MX$25.92
39.74%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.43€2.09
$1.91MX$32.93
27.23%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.08€2.65
$2.17MX$37.37
41.94%
Potato(1kg)
$1.67€1.44
$1.87MX$32.25
-10.70%
Onion(1kg)
$1.90€1.64
$2.23MX$38.43
-14.80%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.19€1.02
$1.08MX$18.60
10.19%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.65€0.56
$1.07MX$18.47
-39.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$13.87€11.94
$4.16MX$71.6
233.41%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.90€5.08
$10.29MX$177
-42.66%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.75€1.50
$1.68MX$28.95
4.17%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91€2.51
$2.53MX$43.59
15.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Amiens
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.27€1.96
$0.55MX$9.53
312.73%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$79.7€68.6
$26.29MX$452
203.16%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.93€2.53
$3.20MX$55.0
-8.44%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.99€1.72
$2.46MX$42.37
-19.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$29.24€25.18
$3.20MX$55.0
813.75%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.00€1.72
$1.32MX$22.72
51.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K€23.6K
$30.2KMX$518.8K
-9.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.5K€28.8K
$23.4KMX$402.5K
43.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Amiens
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$136€117
$81.4MX$1,400
66.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.81€19.64
$22.41MX$386
1.78%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.20€25.14
$29.97MX$516
-2.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Amiens
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$34.12€29.38
$51.6MX$887
-33.82%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.66€16.07
$18.39MX$316
1.47%
Cinema Ticket
$14.23€12.26
$5.16MX$88.9
175.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Amiens
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$561€483
$202MX$3,471
177.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,739€7,525
$5,311MX$91.4K
64.55%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Amiens
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.8€44.63
$35.61MX$613
45.55%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.29€31.25
$40.37MX$695
-10.11%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$85.8€73.9
$78.6MX$1,353
9.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.1€79.3
$86.9MX$1,495
6.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Amiens
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$655€564
$950MX$16.3K
-31.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$486€419
$478MX$8,227
1.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$743€639
$1,621MX$27.9K
-54.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$586€504
$1,223MX$21.0K
-52.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,586€3,088
$4,009MX$69.0K
-10.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,355€2,028
$6,473MX$111.4K
-63.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Amiens
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,452€2,973
$673MX$11.6K
413.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.62
11.42
-68.30%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Amiens: June 15, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $655 in Amiens and $950 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Amiens pays 413% 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: $69.0 in Amiens vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $348 vs $254 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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
Amiens vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Amiens or Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Amiens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Amiens or Playa del Carmen?
Amiens pays 413% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Amiens vs Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $655 in Amiens versus $950 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Amiens and Playa del Carmen?
Childcare runs $561 in Amiens versus $202 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Amiens or Playa del Carmen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Amiens. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Amiens or Playa del Carmen?
At $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,576 in Amiens, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Amiens. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Amiens or Playa del Carmen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,294 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
How safe is Amiens compared to Playa del Carmen?
Safety-wise, Amiens 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Amiens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.