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 $1,989 per month in Manukau vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,995 per month in Manukau vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,001 per month in Manukau vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Manukau costs about 57% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Manukau sits 45% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.50 NZ$25.35

$11.60 MX$200

25.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 NZ$121

$47.11 MX$812

47.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 NZ$15.06

$11.88 MX$205

-27.53%

Cappuccino

$3.48 NZ$6.08

$3.98 MX$68.6

-12.56%

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

$2.09 NZ$3.65

$1.43 MX$24.60

46.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 NZ$3.17

$0.82 MX$14.22

120.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.20 NZ$12.59

$3.19 MX$55.0

125.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 NZ$11.96

$6.79 MX$117

0.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 NZ$3.30

$1.68 MX$28.89

12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 NZ$3.86

$2.20 MX$37.88

0.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 NZ$3.40

$1.71 MX$29.45

14.04%

Eggs

$4.53 NZ$7.93

$2.74 MX$47.26

65.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 NZ$15.39

$9.58 MX$165

-8.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 NZ$17.57

$9.01 MX$155

11.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.63 NZ$30.82

$12.81 MX$221

37.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 NZ$5.07

$2.89 MX$49.81

0.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 NZ$3.77

$1.50 MX$25.81

44.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 NZ$5.45

$2.15 MX$37.03

45.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.53 NZ$9.66

$2.26 MX$38.96

144.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 NZ$1.75

$1.98 MX$34.15

-49.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 NZ$2.91

$1.99 MX$34.30

-16.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 NZ$3.46

$1.23 MX$21.28

60.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 NZ$1.97

$1.20 MX$20.63

-5.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.23 NZ$49.36

$4.55 MX$78.5

520.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.40 NZ$18.19

$10.37 MX$179

0.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 NZ$4.88

$1.62 MX$27.91

72.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 NZ$5.91

$2.88 MX$49.67

17.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.75 NZ$3.05

$0.60 MX$10.35

191.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.1 NZ$159

$28.80 MX$497

216.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 NZ$3.95

$5.39 MX$92.9

-58.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 NZ$3.44

$3.73 MX$64.3

-47.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.32 NZ$58.2

$5.77 MX$99.5

477.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 NZ$2.88

$1.54 MX$26.48

7.14%

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

$26.3K NZ$46.1K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

16.83%

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

$23.1K NZ$40.4K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-11.26%

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

$185 NZ$324

$91.4 MX$1,576

102.82%

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

$27.84 NZ$48.67

$25.20 MX$435

10.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.9 NZ$88.9

$31.24 MX$539

62.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.56 NZ$65.7

$67.2 MX$1,159

-44.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$13.33 NZ$23.30

$4.86 MX$83.8

174.28%

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

$1,148 NZ$2,007

$224 MX$3,856

413.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.9K NZ$34.8K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

371.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.2 NZ$142

$47.10 MX$812

72.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.73 NZ$71.2

$44.29 MX$764

-8.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 NZ$119

$80.1 MX$1,381

-15.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 NZ$198

$92.7 MX$1,598

22.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 NZ$1,629

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-12.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 NZ$1,476

$390 MX$6,728

116.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,683 NZ$2,943

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-21.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,518 NZ$2,654

$1,272 MX$21.9K

19.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,525 NZ$7,910

$4,001 MX$69.0K

13.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,558 NZ$6,220

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-45.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,807 NZ$3,159

$758 MX$13.1K

138.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.4

11.45

-52.84%

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

Last update for Manukau: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $932 in Manukau versus $1,063 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 138% 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 $69.0 in Manukau versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $276 – 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: $1,989 in Manukau, $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 57% apart. Manukau costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,983 per month in Manukau and $1,899 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 21% 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 $69.0 in Manukau and $47.00 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 $1,266, than in Manukau at $1,989. 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen to $1,989 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.