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: $523 in Amparai versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $861 in Amparai versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,200 in Amparai versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Amparai costs roughly 58% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Amparai 61% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.12 LKR 1,386

$11.99 MX$209

-65.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.03 LKR 8,410

$41.78 MX$728

-40.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.26 LKR 2,776

$10.75 MX$187

-23.16%

Cappuccino

$2.68 LKR 899

$3.50 MX$60.9

-23.43%

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

$0.69 LKR 233

$1.45 MX$25.22

-52.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 127

$0.88 MX$15.41

-56.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 LKR 775

$2.95 MX$51.3

-21.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 LKR 1,139

$4.51 MX$78.6

-24.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 571

$1.43 MX$24.94

18.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 LKR 185

$1.84 MX$31.99

-70.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 292

$1.57 MX$27.31

-44.59%

Eggs

$2.22 LKR 748

$2.51 MX$43.74

-11.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.97 LKR 4,695

$8.28 MX$144

68.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 LKR 1,582

$8.43 MX$147

-44.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.88 LKR 2,647

$10.68 MX$186

-26.22%

Apples (1kg)

$7.70 LKR 2,589

$2.61 MX$45.43

195.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 373

$1.44 MX$25.04

-22.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.80 LKR 1,950

$1.96 MX$34.16

195.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 424

$2.09 MX$36.47

-39.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 370

$1.85 MX$32.24

-40.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 LKR 458

$2.17 MX$37.74

-37.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 LKR 397

$1.03 MX$17.96

14.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 202

$1.07 MX$18.70

-43.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.99 LKR 3,357

$4.10 MX$71.4

143.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.71 LKR 4,271

$10.17 MX$177

24.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 LKR 675

$1.68 MX$29.17

19.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 LKR 989

$2.53 MX$43.98

16.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 128

$3.23 MX$56.3

-88.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 119

$2.41 MX$41.88

-85.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 192

$3.23 MX$56.2

-82.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 LKR 417

$1.32 MX$23.00

-6.06%

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

$27.1K LKR 9.1M

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-8.65%

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

$35.5K LKR 11.9M

$23.7K MX$412.0K

49.86%

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

$59.5 LKR 20.0K

$82.0 MX$1,428

-27.48%

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

$4.31 LKR 1,448

$22.95 MX$400

-81.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.32 LKR 5,147

$30.11 MX$524

-49.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$2.00 LKR 671

$4.98 MX$86.6

-59.84%

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

$37.14 LKR 12.5K

$197 MX$3,438

-81.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$444 LKR 149.1K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

-91.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.29 LKR 9,170

$35.60 MX$620

-23.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.07 LKR 6,407

$40.33 MX$702

-52.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 LKR 23.3K

$78.8 MX$1,371

-12.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.87 LKR 13.1K

$88.9 MX$1,549

-56.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$90.7 LKR 30.5K

$654 MX$11.4K

-86.12%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 621% 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 $258 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 140% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 621% 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 $37.14 in Amparai versus $197 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 $523 in Amparai versus $1,256 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 140% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.