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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $713 in Fiji versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,157 in Fiji versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,602 in Fiji versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Fiji costs roughly 44% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Fiji 48% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 FJD 9.85

$11.60 MX$200

-61.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.29 FJD 74.0

$47.11 MX$812

-29.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.52 FJD 14.49

$11.88 MX$205

-45.12%

Cappuccino

$2.51 FJD 5.58

$3.98 MX$68.6

-36.93%

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

$1.43 FJD 3.17

$1.43 MX$24.60

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 FJD 2.24

$0.82 MX$14.22

23.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.94 FJD 8.76

$3.19 MX$55.0

23.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 FJD 9.04

$6.79 MX$117

-40.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 FJD 2.73

$1.68 MX$28.89

-26.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.24 FJD 0.53

$2.20 MX$37.88

-89.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 FJD 2.05

$1.71 MX$29.45

-46.20%

Eggs

$3.19 FJD 7.10

$2.74 MX$47.26

16.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 FJD 23.89

$9.58 MX$165

12.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.56 FJD 12.35

$9.01 MX$155

-38.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

Apples (1kg)

$1.36 FJD 3.03

$2.89 MX$49.81

-52.94%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 FJD 2.04

$1.50 MX$25.81

-38.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 FJD 4.12

$2.15 MX$37.03

-13.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 FJD 2.97

$2.26 MX$38.96

-40.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 FJD 1.55

$1.98 MX$34.15

-64.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 FJD 1.57

$1.99 MX$34.30

-64.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 FJD 1.94

$1.23 MX$21.28

-29.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 FJD 1.14

$1.20 MX$20.63

-57.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.20 FJD 24.88

$4.55 MX$78.5

146.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 FJD 14.31

$10.37 MX$179

-37.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.95 FJD 8.77

$1.62 MX$27.91

143.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 FJD 9.23

$2.88 MX$49.67

44.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 FJD 1.93

$0.60 MX$10.35

45.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 FJD 2.46

$5.39 MX$92.9

-79.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 FJD 2.87

$1.54 MX$26.48

-16.23%

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

$46.3K FJD 102.9K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

105.29%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

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

$53.2 FJD 118

$91.4 MX$1,576

-41.74%

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

$13.56 FJD 30.13

$25.20 MX$435

-46.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.32 FJD 40.70

$31.24 MX$539

-41.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.53 FJD 50.1

$67.2 MX$1,159

-66.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.62 FJD 10.28

$29.11 MX$502

-84.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.00 FJD 8.88

$4.86 MX$83.8

-17.70%

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

$45.77 FJD 102

$224 MX$3,856

-79.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.87 FJD 44.14

$47.10 MX$812

-57.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.93 FJD 66.5

$80.1 MX$1,381

-62.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$688 FJD 1,528

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-35.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 FJD 606

$390 MX$6,728

-30.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,132 FJD 2,515

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-47.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$616 FJD 1,370

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-51.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,306 FJD 2,901

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-67.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,315 FJD 2,921

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-79.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 FJD 1,213

$758 MX$13.1K

-28.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-47.60%

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

Last update for Fiji: September 15, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $688 in Fiji and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 39% 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: $33.00 in Fiji vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $172 vs $276 per month, with Fiji 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

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

Fiji is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Clothing & Footwear. The 78% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 39% 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: $688 in Fiji versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 61% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $713 per month in Fiji versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $713 in Fiji versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Fiji but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Fiji the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Fiji 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, Fiji 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 Fiji gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.