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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $510 in Amparai versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $824 in Amparai versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,138 in Amparai versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Amparai costs roughly 61% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Amparai 63% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 LKR 1,428

$11.96 MX$203

-63.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.40 LKR 8,675

$47.38 MX$804

-44.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.77 LKR 2,554

$11.75 MX$199

-33.87%

Cappuccino

$2.45 LKR 806

$4.12 MX$70.0

-40.53%

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

$0.72 LKR 238

$1.40 MX$23.74

-48.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.6

$0.91 MX$15.48

-72.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 LKR 736

$3.21 MX$54.4

-30.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 LKR 974

$7.07 MX$120

-58.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 LKR 536

$1.68 MX$28.44

-2.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 LKR 177

$2.15 MX$36.48

-74.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 262

$1.77 MX$30.10

-54.80%

Eggs

$1.62 LKR 531

$2.82 MX$47.76

-42.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.47 LKR 4,426

$9.20 MX$156

46.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 LKR 1,626

$9.23 MX$157

-46.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.06 LKR 2,321

$12.64 MX$214

-44.15%

Apples (1kg)

$7.00 LKR 2,300

$2.95 MX$50.1

137.29%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 LKR 294

$1.58 MX$26.79

-43.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 LKR 1,403

$2.22 MX$37.70

92.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 LKR 420

$2.36 MX$40.09

-45.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 LKR 333

$1.99 MX$33.81

-49.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 264

$1.98 MX$33.58

-59.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 LKR 299

$1.24 MX$21.04

-26.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 159

$1.21 MX$20.55

-59.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.18 LKR 3,346

$4.60 MX$78.1

121.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.89 LKR 4,566

$10.52 MX$178

32.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 LKR 631

$1.69 MX$28.70

13.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 LKR 940

$2.77 MX$47.06

3.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 125

$5.24 MX$88.8

-92.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 118

$3.65 MX$61.9

-90.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 LKR 287

$5.78 MX$98.1

-84.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 LKR 443

$1.54 MX$26.09

-12.34%

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

$30.1K LKR 9.9M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

31.87%

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

$42.5K LKR 14.0M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

64.74%

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

$55.9 LKR 18.4K

$90.7 MX$1,538

-38.39%

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

$4.13 LKR 1,357

$25.19 MX$427

-83.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.82 LKR 6,842

$31.75 MX$539

-34.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$1.80 LKR 593

$4.86 MX$82.5

-62.96%

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

$38.47 LKR 12.6K

$226 MX$3,828

-82.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,205 LKR 396.1K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

-71.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.09 LKR 6,602

$47.38 MX$804

-57.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.50 LKR 5,422

$43.45 MX$737

-62.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 LKR 26.1K

$80.2 MX$1,361

-0.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.96 LKR 13.8K

$91.4 MX$1,550

-54.08%

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)

$92.0 LKR 30.2K

$773 MX$13.1K

-88.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

11.45

10.83%

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

Last update for Amparai: September 5, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 741% 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: $26.00 in Amparai vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $278 per month, with Amparai 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

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

Amparai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 156% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 741% 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.

Childcare runs $38.47 in Amparai 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 Amparai – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $510 in Amparai versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Amparai but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Amparai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Amparai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Amparai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 156% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.