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: $712 in Fiji versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,191 in Fiji versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,670 in Fiji versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Fiji costs roughly 45% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Fiji 47% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.44 FJD 9.73

$11.73 MX$203

-62.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.29 FJD 99.3

$41.62 MX$720

8.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 FJD 17.12

$10.64 MX$184

-26.60%

Cappuccino

$2.26 FJD 4.96

$3.52 MX$60.9

-35.80%

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

$1.36 FJD 2.97

$1.51 MX$26.12

-9.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 FJD 2.61

$0.97 MX$16.84

22.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 FJD 6.47

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 FJD 7.23

$4.45 MX$77.0

-25.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 FJD 2.81

$1.38 MX$23.93

-7.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 FJD 1.52

$1.89 MX$32.72

-63.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 FJD 3.34

$1.64 MX$28.32

-7.32%

Eggs

$2.22 FJD 4.87

$2.51 MX$43.34

-11.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.61 FJD 23.26

$8.34 MX$144

27.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.67 FJD 8.05

$8.34 MX$144

-56.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.28 FJD 4.99

$10.73 MX$186

-78.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 FJD 3.86

$2.60 MX$45.04

-32.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 FJD 3.37

$1.46 MX$25.20

4.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 FJD 4.48

$1.90 MX$32.87

7.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 FJD 3.80

$2.08 MX$35.91

-16.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 FJD 3.26

$1.78 MX$30.71

-16.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 FJD 3.12

$2.19 MX$37.80

-35.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 FJD 2.06

$1.04 MX$17.99

-9.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 FJD 1.76

$1.08 MX$18.62

-25.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.01 FJD 24.14

$4.08 MX$70.6

169.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.47 FJD 14.19

$10.32 MX$178

-37.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 FJD 6.13

$1.71 MX$29.61

63.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 FJD 5.41

$2.58 MX$44.54

-4.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 FJD 1.99

$0.51 MX$8.81

78.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 FJD 2.41

$3.26 MX$56.4

-66.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 FJD 2.88

$1.31 MX$22.61

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

$45.5K FJD 99.7K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

50.14%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

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

$53.0 FJD 116

$82.9 MX$1,433

-36.01%

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

$13.41 FJD 29.41

$22.22 MX$384

-39.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 FJD 38.59

$29.34 MX$507

-40.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.99 FJD 48.23

$51.6 MX$893

-57.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.50 FJD 9.87

$18.32 MX$317

-75.44%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 FJD 8.76

$5.07 MX$87.6

-21.30%

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

$44.29 FJD 97.1

$201 MX$3,473

-77.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$8.39 FJD 18.41

$36.92 MX$639

-77.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.43 FJD 64.6

$78.5 MX$1,357

-62.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 FJD 1,461

$973 MX$16.8K

-31.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 FJD 591

$468 MX$8,090

-42.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,104 FJD 2,421

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-32.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$607 FJD 1,331

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-50.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,298 FJD 2,846

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-67.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,344 FJD 2,947

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-79.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 FJD 1,203

$664 MX$11.5K

-17.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-47.46%

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

Last update for Fiji: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $666 in Fiji and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 21% 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: $45.00 in Fiji vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $179 vs $249, with Fiji 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

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 82% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 21% less. 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: $666 in Fiji versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $712 per month in Fiji versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 82% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $712 in Fiji versus $1,297 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 82% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.