Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between the Andaman Islands and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in the Andaman Islands: $363 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

17

Cost of Living Index in the Andaman Islands
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Andaman Islands Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
Learn more

Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Andaman Islands

🇮🇳 India

$363

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in the Andaman Islands and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in the Andaman Islands and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $363 in the Andaman Islands versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen.

Andaman Islands $363
Playa del Carmen $1,204

Estimated couple costs with rent: $567 in the Andaman Islands versus $2,102 in Playa del Carmen.

Andaman Islands $567
Playa del Carmen $2,102

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $772 in the Andaman Islands versus $3,000 in Playa del Carmen.

Andaman Islands $772
Playa del Carmen $3,000

Living in the Andaman Islands costs roughly 70% less than in Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Andaman Islands 73% lower, Playa del Carmen 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.06 ₹195

$10.86 MX$201

-81.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$6.13 ₹582

$44.21 MX$817

-86.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.69 ₹351

$11.76 MX$217

-68.62%

Cappuccino

$1.28 ₹122

$3.68 MX$68.0

-65.22%

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

$0.71 ₹67.2

$1.34 MX$24.79

-47.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 ₹18.84

$0.82 MX$15.24

-75.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 ₹137

$3.06 MX$56.6

-52.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ₹269

$4.94 MX$91.2

-42.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 ₹90.1

$1.47 MX$27.17

-35.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 ₹43.52

$2.22 MX$40.95

-79.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.72 ₹68.2

$1.48 MX$27.32

-51.35%

Eggs

$1.22 ₹116

$2.49 MX$45.99

-51.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 ₹420

$7.52 MX$139

-41.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.89 ₹275

$7.96 MX$147

-63.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.57 MX$232

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 ₹188

$2.78 MX$51.3

-28.78%

Banana (1kg)

$0.62 ₹59.3

$1.43 MX$26.37

-56.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.89 ₹84.5

$2.62 MX$48.37

-66.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.45 ₹42.72

$2.14 MX$39.49

-78.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.56 ₹53.2

$2.02 MX$37.38

-72.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 ₹37.59

$1.99 MX$36.74

-79.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 ₹44.44

$1.14 MX$21.01

-58.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.25 ₹23.77

$1.20 MX$22.18

-79.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.14 ₹488

$4.26 MX$78.7

20.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.52 ₹714

$10.02 MX$185

-24.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 ₹157

$1.54 MX$28.41

7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 ₹247

$2.66 MX$49.17

-2.26%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$5.02 ₹477

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₹23.51

$0.53 MX$9.73

-52.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.75 ₹736

$27.51 MX$508

-71.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₹76.9

$4.90 MX$90.6

-83.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₹25.67

$3.43 MX$63.5

-92.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 ₹148

$5.38 MX$99.4

-71.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ₹98.8

$1.45 MX$26.76

-28.28%

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

$12.5K ₹1.2M

$21.2K MX$391.0K

-40.79%

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

$19.3K ₹1.8M

$23.0K MX$425.3K

-16.21%

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

$35.05 ₹3,328

$85.4 MX$1,577

-58.94%

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

$3.40 ₹322

$23.46 MX$434

-85.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.41 ₹608

$28.43 MX$525

-77.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.38 ₹1,366

$62.2 MX$1,149

-76.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.33 ₹601

$28.68 MX$530

-77.93%

Cinema Ticket

$2.42 ₹230

$5.10 MX$94.3

-52.55%

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

$47.89 ₹4,547

$201 MX$3,715

-76.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,409 ₹133.8K

$3,947 MX$72.9K

-64.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.96 ₹2,085

$44.39 MX$820

-50.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.14 ₹2,198

$41.35 MX$764

-44.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.59 ₹3,665

$72.7 MX$1,344

-46.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.98 ₹2,657

$89.6 MX$1,656

-68.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$123 ₹11.7K

$979 MX$18.1K

-87.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$73.4 ₹6,967

$373 MX$6,887

-80.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 ₹24.8K

$1,681 MX$31.1K

-84.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 ₹16.4K

$1,095 MX$20.2K

-84.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$985 ₹93.6K

$3,949 MX$73.0K

-75.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$523 ₹49.7K

$6,137 MX$113.4K

-91.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$282 ₹26.8K

$738 MX$13.6K

-61.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.86

11.45

-22.62%

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

Last update for the Andaman Islands: October 19, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Andaman Islands

$105 28.9%

Playa del Carmen

$258 21.5% 147% $154

Accommodation & Living

Andaman Islands

$73 20.2%

Playa del Carmen

$373 31% 408% $299

Eating Out

Andaman Islands

$59 16.4%

Playa del Carmen

$200 16.6% 237% $141

Clothing & Footwear

Andaman Islands

$50 13.9%

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3% 122% $61

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Andaman Islands

$45 12.4%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4% 206% $92

Sport & Entertainment

Andaman Islands

$19 5.3%

Playa del Carmen

$72 6% 277% $53

Getting Around

Andaman Islands

$11 3%

Playa del Carmen

$52 4.3% 374% $41

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $123 in the Andaman Islands and $979 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 161% 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: $6.00 in the Andaman Islands vs $44.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $105 vs $258 per month, with the Andaman Islands cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇳 Andaman Islands

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

20:24 8:24 PM

09:54 9:54 AM

10 h 30 min behind the Andaman Islands

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

343,125

149,923

💱 Currency

Indian Rupee INR ₹

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 INR = 10.53 USD

1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇳 Indian Rupee (₹)

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 94.96 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 107 INR (1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

USD to INR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Andaman Islands Playa del Carmen 16,320 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

From you

Andaman Islands
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Andaman Islands is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 232% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 161% 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: $123 in the Andaman Islands versus $979 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in the Andaman Islands runs roughly 255% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $47.89 in the Andaman Islands versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $363 in the Andaman Islands versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in the Andaman Islands but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Andaman Islands the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Andaman Islands 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.

Safety-wise, Andaman Islands 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 Andaman Islands gentler on the wallet – expenses run 232% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.