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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $996 in Manavgat versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,578 in Manavgat versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,161 in Manavgat versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Manavgat costs roughly 23% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Manavgat 26% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Manavgat
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.91 β‚Ί312
$11.94 MX$209
-42.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$27.66 β‚Ί1,249
$42.75 MX$748
-35.30%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.02 β‚Ί182
$10.59 MX$185
-62.04%
Cappuccino
$2.65 β‚Ί120
$3.62 MX$63.4
-26.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 β‚Ί78.1
$1.47 MX$25.69
17.69%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.26 β‚Ί11.65
$0.94 MX$16.51
-72.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.68 β‚Ί121
$3.09 MX$54.1
-13.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74 β‚Ί124
$4.46 MX$78.0
-38.57%
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
Manavgat
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.90 β‚Ί40.73
$1.43 MX$24.94
-37.06%
White Bread (500g)
$0.99 β‚Ί44.83
$1.88 MX$32.97
-47.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.10 β‚Ί49.75
$1.63 MX$28.50
-32.52%
Eggs
$1.78 β‚Ί80.4
$2.64 MX$46.26
-32.58%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.29 β‚Ί374
$8.21 MX$144
0.97%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.43 β‚Ί245
$8.29 MX$145
-34.50%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.29 β‚Ί871
$11.10 MX$194
73.78%
Apples (1kg)
$0.70 β‚Ί31.69
$2.65 MX$46.40
-73.58%
Banana (1kg)
$2.07 β‚Ί93.6
$1.50 MX$26.26
38.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.66 β‚Ί29.89
$1.99 MX$34.79
-66.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.10 β‚Ί49.61
$2.08 MX$36.33
-47.12%
Potato (1kg)
$0.57 β‚Ί25.54
$1.79 MX$31.29
-68.16%
Onion (1kg)
$0.28 β‚Ί12.68
$2.18 MX$38.09
-87.16%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.33 β‚Ί14.80
$1.08 MX$18.84
-69.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.34 β‚Ί15.38
$1.04 MX$18.15
-67.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.01 β‚Ί90.8
$3.97 MX$69.5
-49.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.46 β‚Ί337
$10.20 MX$179
-26.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 β‚Ί75.9
$1.73 MX$30.22
-2.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 β‚Ί96.4
$2.50 MX$43.71
-14.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Manavgat
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.64 β‚Ί28.80
$0.52 MX$9.07
23.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.98 β‚Ί1,399
$26.97 MX$472
14.87%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.05 β‚Ί47.61
$3.14 MX$55.0
-66.56%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.08 β‚Ί48.60
$2.40 MX$42.04
-55.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.47 β‚Ί337
$3.09 MX$54.0
141.75%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.24 β‚Ί56.0
$1.27 MX$22.28
-2.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.1K β‚Ί1.8M
$30.9K MX$540.4K
29.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$42.0K β‚Ί1.9M
$23.3K MX$408.0K
80.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Manavgat
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$48.72 β‚Ί2,199
$82.0 MX$1,435
-40.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.99 β‚Ί361
$22.45 MX$393
-64.41%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.70 β‚Ί709
$29.66 MX$519
-47.07%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Manavgat
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.83 β‚Ί1,933
$51.9 MX$908
-17.43%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.49 β‚Ί925
$18.67 MX$327
9.75%
Cinema Ticket
$6.53 β‚Ί295
$4.97 MX$87.0
31.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Manavgat
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$601 β‚Ί27.1K
$198 MX$3,462
203.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,914 β‚Ί402.4K
$5,273 MX$92.3K
69.06%
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Manavgat
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$48.23 β‚Ί2,177
$36.34 MX$636
32.72%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.21 β‚Ί1,228
$40.05 MX$701
-32.06%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 β‚Ί4,825
$79.9 MX$1,398
33.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 β‚Ί4,886
$88.9 MX$1,555
21.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Manavgat
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$508 β‚Ί22.9K
$963 MX$16.9K
-47.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$392 β‚Ί17.7K
$465 MX$8,133
-15.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$903 β‚Ί40.8K
$1,596 MX$27.9K
-43.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$700 β‚Ί31.6K
$1,209 MX$21.2K
-42.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,153 β‚Ί52.0K
$3,942 MX$69.0K
-70.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$957 β‚Ί43.2K
$6,448 MX$112.8K
-85.16%
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
Manavgat
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$733 β‚Ί33.1K
$720 MX$12.6K
1.70%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
20
11.42
75.13%

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

Last update for Manavgat: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $508 in Manavgat and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manavgat pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $28.00 in Manavgat vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $200 vs $251 per month, with Manavgat 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
Manavgat vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Manavgat and Playa del Carmen?
Manavgat and Playa del Carmen differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($996 vs $1,287 including rent). Manavgat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Manavgat or Playa del Carmen?
Manavgat pays 2% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Manavgat and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $508 in Manavgat versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Manavgat – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Manavgat or Playa del Carmen?
All in, you'll spend $996 per month in Manavgat versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $996 in Manavgat versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Manavgat but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Manavgat the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Manavgat and Playa del Carmen?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Manavgat or Playa del Carmen safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Manavgat 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.
Where should expats move: Manavgat or Playa del Carmen?
Expats usually find Manavgat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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