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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $719 per month in Masaya vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,155 per month in Masaya vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,592 per month in Masaya vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Masaya is about 43% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Masaya and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Masaya 46% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.87 NIO 178

$11.99 MX$210

-59.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.82 NIO 1,275

$41.78 MX$733

-16.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.08 NIO 259

$10.75 MX$189

-34.14%

Cappuccino

$2.39 NIO 87.5

$3.50 MX$61.3

-31.71%

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

$0.79 NIO 28.78

$1.45 MX$25.41

-45.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 NIO 27.65

$0.88 MX$15.52

-13.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 NIO 49.32

$2.95 MX$51.7

-54.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 NIO 74.0

$4.51 MX$79.1

-55.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 NIO 46.52

$1.43 MX$25.12

-11.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 NIO 89.9

$1.84 MX$32.23

33.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 NIO 66.6

$1.57 MX$27.51

15.92%

Eggs

$2.23 NIO 81.7

$2.51 MX$44.06

-11.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.14 NIO 408

$8.28 MX$145

34.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.77 NIO 248

$8.43 MX$148

-19.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.88 NIO 289

$10.68 MX$187

-26.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.93 NIO 144

$2.61 MX$45.76

50.57%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 NIO 32.74

$1.44 MX$25.22

-38.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 NIO 64.6

$1.96 MX$34.41

-10.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 NIO 80.2

$2.09 MX$36.74

4.78%

Potato (1kg)

$3.95 NIO 145

$1.85 MX$32.47

113.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 NIO 81.9

$2.17 MX$38.02

3.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 NIO 38.81

$1.03 MX$18.09

2.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 NIO 38.70

$1.07 MX$18.84

-0.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 NIO 96.3

$4.10 MX$72.0

-35.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.63 NIO 536

$10.17 MX$178

43.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 NIO 52.0

$1.68 MX$29.38

-15.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 NIO 79.5

$2.53 MX$44.31

-14.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 NIO 53.5

$3.23 MX$56.7

-54.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.63 NIO 243

$3.23 MX$56.6

105.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 NIO 47.49

$1.32 MX$23.17

-1.52%

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

$22.6K NIO 827.8K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-23.89%

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

$26.5K NIO 970.1K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

11.94%

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

$97.0 NIO 3,552

$82.0 MX$1,439

18.27%

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

$16.99 NIO 622

$22.95 MX$403

-25.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.80 NIO 1,384

$30.11 MX$528

25.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$8.23 NIO 301

$4.98 MX$87.3

65.26%

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

$122 NIO 4,474

$197 MX$3,463

-38.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 NIO 216.8K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

10.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 NIO 2,805

$35.60 MX$624

115.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.1 NIO 2,675

$40.33 MX$707

81.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 NIO 4,878

$78.8 MX$1,381

69.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 NIO 3,996

$88.9 MX$1,560

22.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

11.42

-10.25%

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

Last update for Masaya: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Masaya versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $261 in Masaya vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 75%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,078 per month in Masaya and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Masaya and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Masaya, where all-in costs run around $719, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Masaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Masaya – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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