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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,998 per month in Manati vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,004 per month in Manati vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,009 per month in Manati vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Manati costs about 55% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Manati sits 49% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.85 $9.85

$11.94 MX$208

-17.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.1 $61.1

$42.75 MX$744

42.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.24 $8.24

$10.59 MX$184

-22.19%

Cappuccino

$2.05 $2.05

$3.62 MX$63.0

-43.37%

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

$1.03 $1.03

$1.47 MX$25.54

-29.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

$0.94 MX$16.41

4.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 $1.48

$3.09 MX$53.8

-52.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 $2.95

$4.46 MX$77.6

-33.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.43 MX$24.80

67.13%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 $3.56

$1.88 MX$32.79

89.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.63 MX$28.34

34.36%

Eggs

$6.00 $6.00

$2.64 MX$45.99

127.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 $9.01

$8.21 MX$143

9.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.71 $8.71

$8.29 MX$144

5.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.61 $12.61

$11.10 MX$193

13.60%

Apples (1kg)

$5.80 $5.80

$2.65 MX$46.14

118.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.50 MX$26.11

74.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$1.99 MX$34.59

97.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$2.08 MX$36.13

98.56%

Potato (1kg)

$3.94 $3.94

$1.79 MX$31.11

120.11%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.18 MX$37.87

38.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 $3.00

$1.08 MX$18.73

177.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.04 MX$18.04

91.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.98 $11.98

$3.97 MX$69.1

201.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.76 $15.76

$10.20 MX$178

54.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.73 MX$30.04

47.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 $3.12

$2.50 MX$43.46

24.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.40 MX$41.80

-35.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.75 $14.75

$3.09 MX$53.7

377.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.27 MX$22.16

-27.56%

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

$35.3K $35.3K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

14.29%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

14.02%

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

$345 $345

$82.0 MX$1,427

320.51%

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

$79.0 $79.0

$22.45 MX$391

251.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.1 $75.1

$29.66 MX$516

153.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$12.15 $12.15

$4.97 MX$86.5

144.47%

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

$470 $470

$198 MX$3,442

137.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K $10.3K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

95.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 $45.52

$36.34 MX$632

25.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.2 $55.2

$40.05 MX$697

37.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 $92.3

$79.9 MX$1,390

15.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$88.9 MX$1,547

18.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$748 $748

$963 MX$16.8K

-22.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$803 $803

$465 MX$8,086

72.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,809 $1,809

$1,596 MX$27.8K

13.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,508 $1,508

$1,209 MX$21.0K

24.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$792 $792

$720 MX$12.5K

9.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

11.42

-50.00%

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

Last update for Manati: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $748 in Manati versus $963 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 10% higher in Manati, 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 $61.0 in Manati versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $386 vs $251 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Manati costs about 55% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,997 per month in Manati and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,998 in Manati and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $470 per month in Manati and $198 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Manati at $1,998. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manati it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,287 versus $1,998 in Manati. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Manati makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.