Cost of Living Comparison Between Maasin City and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Maasin City and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $800 in Maasin City versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,248 in Maasin City versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,697 in Maasin City versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Maasin City costs roughly 36% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Maasin City 40% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.34 ₱266

$11.72 MX$203

-62.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.10 ₱1,475

$41.89 MX$725

-42.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.40 ₱269

$10.51 MX$182

-58.14%

Cappuccino

$2.62 ₱160

$3.59 MX$62.0

-27.02%

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

$0.79 ₱48.53

$1.51 MX$26.10

-47.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₱26.06

$0.92 MX$15.83

-53.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 ₱96.1

$2.96 MX$51.2

-46.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ₱130

$4.41 MX$76.3

-51.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ₱134

$1.40 MX$24.16

56.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 ₱55.6

$1.88 MX$32.60

-51.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ₱57.1

$1.56 MX$26.97

-40.38%

Eggs

$2.11 ₱129

$2.61 MX$45.14

-19.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.77 ₱781

$8.32 MX$144

53.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.33 ₱326

$8.35 MX$145

-36.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.62 ₱466

$10.86 MX$188

-29.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 ₱108

$2.71 MX$46.93

-35.06%

Banana (1kg)

$0.69 ₱42.25

$1.51 MX$26.04

-54.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₱110

$1.87 MX$32.41

-3.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 ₱140

$2.19 MX$37.89

4.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 ₱157

$1.86 MX$32.14

37.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 ₱152

$2.23 MX$38.59

11.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ₱61.4

$1.07 MX$18.48

-6.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ₱51.5

$1.09 MX$18.79

-22.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 ₱198

$4.19 MX$72.4

-22.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 ₱394

$10.43 MX$180

-38.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.2

$1.66 MX$28.68

-27.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₱142

$2.61 MX$45.19

-11.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.30

$0.54 MX$9.37

-48.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₱51.1

$3.08 MX$53.3

-73.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.33

$2.40 MX$41.61

-89.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ₱165

$3.13 MX$54.1

-14.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.1

$1.31 MX$22.69

-16.03%

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

$30.3K ₱1.9M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

1.82%

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

$27.0K ₱1.7M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

15.67%

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

$95.7 ₱5,858

$81.3 MX$1,406

17.74%

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

$34.59 ₱2,117

$22.56 MX$390

53.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.14 ₱1,845

$30.05 MX$520

0.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.26 ₱2,036

$52.9 MX$915

-37.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.48 ₱274

$18.39 MX$318

-75.64%

Cinema Ticket

$6.11 ₱374

$4.92 MX$85.1

24.19%

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

$234 ₱14.3K

$201 MX$3,474

16.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,973 ₱243.2K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-23.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.67 ₱2,795

$35.92 MX$622

27.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.25 ₱1,423

$40.13 MX$694

-42.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 ₱4,709

$79.7 MX$1,379

-3.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.0 ₱3,428

$86.5 MX$1,496

-35.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 ₱16.6K

$978 MX$16.9K

-72.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 ₱10.7K

$470 MX$8,140

-62.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 ₱35.8K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-64.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 ₱23.7K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-67.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,172 ₱132.9K

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-45.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,084 ₱66.4K

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-83.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$130 ₱7,984

$677 MX$11.7K

-80.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-29.95%

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

Last update for Maasin City: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $271 in Maasin City and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 419% 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: $24.00 in Maasin City vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $213 vs $252 per month, with Maasin City 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

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

Maasin City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 419% 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: $271 in Maasin City versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $800 per month in Maasin City versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $800 in Maasin City versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Maasin City but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Maasin City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Maasin City 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 Maasin City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.