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: $529 in Amparai versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $856 in Amparai versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,183 in Amparai versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Amparai costs roughly 59% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Amparai 61% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.05 LKR 1,344

$11.73 MX$203

-65.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.62 LKR 8,164

$41.62 MX$720

-40.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.14 LKR 2,698

$10.64 MX$184

-23.50%

Cappuccino

$2.66 LKR 881

$3.52 MX$60.9

-24.43%

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

$0.69 LKR 229

$1.51 MX$26.12

-54.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 124

$0.97 MX$16.84

-61.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 LKR 765

$2.95 MX$51.0

-21.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 LKR 1,136

$4.45 MX$77.0

-22.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 LKR 573

$1.38 MX$23.93

25.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 LKR 171

$1.89 MX$32.72

-73.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 290

$1.64 MX$28.32

-46.34%

Eggs

$2.21 LKR 733

$2.51 MX$43.34

-11.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.24 LKR 4,721

$8.34 MX$144

70.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.62 LKR 1,531

$8.34 MX$144

-44.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.15 LKR 2,703

$10.73 MX$186

-24.04%

Apples (1kg)

$7.46 LKR 2,474

$2.60 MX$45.04

186.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 365

$1.46 MX$25.20

-24.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.76 LKR 1,910

$1.90 MX$32.87

203.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 413

$2.08 MX$35.91

-39.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 LKR 382

$1.78 MX$30.71

-35.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 LKR 457

$2.19 MX$37.80

-36.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 LKR 379

$1.04 MX$17.99

9.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 198

$1.08 MX$18.62

-44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.15 LKR 3,367

$4.08 MX$70.6

148.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.71 LKR 4,214

$10.32 MX$178

23.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 LKR 660

$1.71 MX$29.61

16.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 LKR 952

$2.58 MX$44.54

11.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 129

$3.26 MX$56.4

-88.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 117

$2.49 MX$43.09

-85.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 189

$3.25 MX$56.2

-82.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 403

$1.31 MX$22.61

-7.63%

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

$27.0K LKR 9.0M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-10.81%

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

$34.7K LKR 11.5M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

47.90%

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

$59.3 LKR 19.7K

$82.9 MX$1,433

-28.43%

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

$4.27 LKR 1,417

$22.22 MX$384

-80.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.32 LKR 5,078

$29.34 MX$507

-47.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$1.97 LKR 655

$5.07 MX$87.6

-61.14%

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

$36.57 LKR 12.1K

$201 MX$3,473

-81.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$443 LKR 146.9K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-91.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.17 LKR 9,007

$36.92 MX$639

-26.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.37 LKR 6,422

$39.79 MX$688

-51.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.4 LKR 23.3K

$78.5 MX$1,357

-10.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.41 LKR 13.1K

$87.1 MX$1,506

-54.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$88.9 LKR 29.5K

$664 MX$11.5K

-86.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

11.42

44.05%

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

Last update for Amparai: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 647% 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: $25.00 in Amparai vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $257 vs $249, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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 Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 145% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 647% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $36.57 in Amparai versus $201 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 $25.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $529 in Amparai versus $1,297 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 145% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.