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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,827 per month in Manukau vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,853 per month in Manukau vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,879 per month in Manukau vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Manukau costs about 41% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Manukau sits 36% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.78 NZ$24.95

$11.73 MX$203

26.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 NZ$133

$41.62 MX$720

89.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.79 NZ$14.84

$10.64 MX$184

-17.39%

Cappuccino

$3.43 NZ$5.79

$3.52 MX$60.9

-2.56%

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

$1.53 NZ$2.58

$1.51 MX$26.12

1.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 NZ$2.10

$0.97 MX$16.84

27.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.27 NZ$8.89

$2.95 MX$51.0

78.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.42 NZ$9.15

$4.45 MX$77.0

21.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 NZ$3.09

$1.38 MX$23.93

32.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 NZ$3.60

$1.89 MX$32.72

12.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 NZ$3.31

$1.64 MX$28.32

19.51%

Eggs

$4.89 NZ$8.26

$2.51 MX$43.34

94.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.76 NZ$9.72

$8.34 MX$144

-30.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 NZ$15.20

$8.34 MX$144

7.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.23 NZ$22.34

$10.73 MX$186

23.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 NZ$4.86

$2.60 MX$45.04

10.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 NZ$3.76

$1.46 MX$25.20

52.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 NZ$5.53

$1.90 MX$32.87

72.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 NZ$6.95

$2.08 MX$35.91

98.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 NZ$1.86

$1.78 MX$30.71

-38.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 NZ$2.76

$2.19 MX$37.80

-25.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 NZ$3.23

$1.04 MX$17.99

83.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 NZ$2.10

$1.08 MX$18.62

15.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.38 NZ$42.85

$4.08 MX$70.6

522.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.32 NZ$8.99

$10.32 MX$178

-48.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 NZ$5.00

$1.71 MX$29.61

73.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 NZ$6.44

$2.58 MX$44.54

47.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 NZ$3.96

$0.51 MX$8.81

358.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.9 NZ$108

$26.46 MX$458

141.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 NZ$3.62

$3.26 MX$56.4

-34.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 NZ$3.28

$2.49 MX$43.09

-22.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.11 NZ$59.3

$3.25 MX$56.2

980.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 NZ$2.77

$1.31 MX$22.61

25.19%

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

$27.9K NZ$47.0K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-7.99%

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

$21.8K NZ$36.8K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-7.08%

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

$142 NZ$239

$82.9 MX$1,433

70.83%

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

$30.14 NZ$50.9

$22.22 MX$384

35.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.43 NZ$83.5

$29.34 MX$507

68.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.47 NZ$71.7

$51.6 MX$893

-17.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.10 NZ$20.42

$18.32 MX$317

-33.95%

Cinema Ticket

$14.32 NZ$24.18

$5.07 MX$87.6

182.45%

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

$897 NZ$1,515

$201 MX$3,473

346.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K NZ$23.1K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

162.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.17 NZ$81.3

$36.92 MX$639

30.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.39 NZ$81.7

$39.79 MX$688

21.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 NZ$170

$78.5 MX$1,357

27.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 NZ$207

$87.1 MX$1,506

40.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 NZ$1,652

$973 MX$16.8K

0.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$785 NZ$1,326

$468 MX$8,090

67.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,599 NZ$2,700

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-2.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,449 NZ$2,446

$1,221 MX$21.1K

18.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,223 NZ$7,130

$3,946 MX$68.3K

7.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,012 NZ$5,086

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-53.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,183 NZ$5,374

$664 MX$11.5K

379.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

11.42

-44.22%

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

Last update for Manukau: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Manukau versus $973 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 379% higher in Manukau, 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 $79.0 in Manukau versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $249 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,827 in Manukau, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 41% apart. Manukau costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,741 per month in Manukau and $1,945 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.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Manukau, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Manukau and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Manukau at $1,827. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manukau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,297 in Playa del Carmen to $1,827 in Manukau. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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