Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Majuro and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,202 a month against $2,118 in Majuro, rent and utilities included – about $11,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Majuro, Marshall Islands
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Majuro
🇲🇭 Marshall Islands
$2,118
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Majuro 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 Majuro and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,118 per month in Majuro vs $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Majuro $2,118
  • Playa del Carmen $1,202

A couple spends around $2,973 per month in Majuro vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Majuro $2,973
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $3,827 per month in Majuro vs $2,962 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Majuro $3,827
  • Playa del Carmen $2,962

Majuro costs about 76% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Majuro sits 57% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Majuro
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.80 $9.80
$10.67 MX$200
-8.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$29.53 $29.53
$43.80 MX$819
-32.58%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.59 $10.59
$11.79 MX$220
-10.18%
Cappuccino
$4.44 $4.44
$3.79 MX$70.8
17.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.78 $1.78
$1.30 MX$24.26
36.92%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96 $1.96
$0.83 MX$15.59
136.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.45 $4.45
$3.15 MX$58.9
41.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.03 $5.03
$4.93 MX$92.3
2.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Majuro
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.27 $2.27
$1.41 MX$26.35
60.99%
White Bread (500g)
$3.46 $3.46
$2.20 MX$41.07
57.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.82 $1.82
$1.47 MX$27.54
23.81%
Eggs
$5.04 $5.04
$2.50 MX$46.70
101.60%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$31.22 $31.22
$7.29 MX$136
328.26%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.12 $11.12
$7.95 MX$149
39.87%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.57 $18.57
$12.86 MX$241
44.40%
Apples (1kg)
$4.44 $4.44
$2.90 MX$54.2
53.10%
Banana (1kg)
$7.22 $7.22
$1.38 MX$25.87
423.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$8.46 $8.46
$2.49 MX$46.59
239.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$12.84 $12.84
$2.03 MX$37.97
532.51%
Potato (1kg)
$5.40 $5.40
$2.02 MX$37.88
167.33%
Onion (1kg)
$5.46 $5.46
$1.90 MX$35.60
187.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.83 $3.83
$1.14 MX$21.41
235.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.83 $1.83
$1.24 MX$23.17
47.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.03 $6.03
$4.27 MX$79.9
41.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.12 $10.12
$9.81 MX$184
3.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.59 MX$29.66
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49 $2.49
$2.75 MX$51.3
-9.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Majuro
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.02 $3.02
$0.51 MX$9.63
492.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$27.39 MX$512
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.82 $2.82
$4.76 MX$89.1
-40.76%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$3.25 MX$60.8
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.02 $5.02
$5.39 MX$101
-6.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.85 $1.85
$1.53 MX$28.58
20.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.4K $25.4K
$21.2K MX$396.8K
19.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.0K $35.0K
$23.3K MX$435.1K
50.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Majuro
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$246 $246
$83.5 MX$1,562
195.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.72 $37.72
$23.19 MX$434
62.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$81.4 $81.4
$27.61 MX$516
194.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Majuro
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.76 $37.76
$56.4 MX$1,056
-33.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$28.19 MX$527
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$5.00 MX$93.5
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Majuro
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$151 $151
$207 MX$3,873
-26.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,604 $2,604
$5,231 MX$97.8K
-50.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Majuro
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.7 $68.7
$43.45 MX$813
58.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.34 $40.34
$42.54 MX$796
-5.17%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$30.22 $30.22
$72.8 MX$1,361
-58.47%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$49.47 $49.47
$88.4 MX$1,653
-44.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Majuro
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$787 $787
$995 MX$18.6K
-20.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$861 $861
$382 MX$7,152
125.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,348 $1,348
$1,674 MX$31.3K
-19.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,260 $1,260
$1,081 MX$20.2K
16.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,909 MX$73.1K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,138 MX$114.8K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Majuro
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,011 $1,011
$832 MX$15.6K
21.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
11.45
-

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

Last update for Majuro: November 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Majuro
$861
Playa del Carmen
$382 55.6% $479
Groceries & Markets
Majuro
$543 *
Playa del Carmen
$257 52.6% $286
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Majuro
$365
Playa del Carmen
$134 63.3% $231
Eating Out
Majuro
$211
Playa del Carmen
$200 5% $11
Clothing & Footwear
Majuro
$85
Playa del Carmen
$111 30.9% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Majuro
$38 *
Playa del Carmen
$66 76% $29
Getting Around
Majuro
$15 *
Playa del Carmen
$50 238% $36

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $787 in Majuro versus $995 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 21% higher in Majuro, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30 in Majuro versus $44 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $543 in Majuro vs $257 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇲🇭 Majuro
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
07:12 7:12 AM
14:12 2:12 PM
17 h behind Majuro
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
26,000 Capital
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 18.7 MXN (100 MXN = 5.35 USD). 1 EUR = 21.01 MXN (100 MXN = 4.76 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Majuro Playa del Carmen 10,920 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Majuro
  • 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
Majuro vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Majuro?
Yes – Majuro is pricier by about 76%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,177 per month in Majuro and $1,804 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Majuro, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $787 there versus $995 in Playa del Carmen.
What are total monthly expenses in Majuro and in Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,118 in Majuro and $1,202 in Playa del Carmen. That makes Playa del Carmen about 43% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $151 per month in Majuro and $207 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Majuro or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,202, than in Majuro at $2,118. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Majuro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Majuro or in Playa del Carmen?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,202 in Playa del Carmen to $2,118 in Majuro. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Majuro makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Majuro vs other spots: cost of living compared

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