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 $790 per month in Masaya vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,260 per month in Masaya vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,729 per month in Masaya vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Masaya is about 39% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Masaya and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Masaya 43% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.08 NIO 369

$11.96 MX$203

-15.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.77 NIO 1,347

$47.38 MX$804

-22.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.66 NIO 280

$11.75 MX$199

-34.81%

Cappuccino

$2.51 NIO 92.1

$4.12 MX$70.0

-39.08%

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

$0.83 NIO 30.34

$1.40 MX$23.74

-40.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 NIO 26.40

$0.91 MX$15.48

-20.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 NIO 52.9

$3.21 MX$54.4

-55.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 NIO 71.9

$7.07 MX$120

-72.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 NIO 45.27

$1.68 MX$28.44

-26.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 NIO 83.9

$2.15 MX$36.48

6.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 NIO 62.5

$1.77 MX$30.10

-3.39%

Eggs

$2.36 NIO 86.5

$2.82 MX$47.76

-16.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.49 NIO 421

$9.20 MX$156

24.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.52 NIO 239

$9.23 MX$157

-29.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.30 NIO 268

$12.64 MX$214

-42.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 NIO 133

$2.95 MX$50.1

23.39%

Banana (1kg)

$0.57 NIO 21.04

$1.58 MX$26.79

-63.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 NIO 64.0

$2.22 MX$37.70

-21.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 NIO 79.9

$2.36 MX$40.09

-7.63%

Potato (1kg)

$4.03 NIO 147

$1.99 MX$33.81

102.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 NIO 82.8

$1.98 MX$33.58

14.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 NIO 36.97

$1.24 MX$21.04

-18.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 NIO 39.11

$1.21 MX$20.55

-11.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.68 NIO 98.1

$4.60 MX$78.1

-41.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.59 NIO 534

$10.52 MX$178

38.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 NIO 53.5

$1.69 MX$28.70

-13.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 NIO 85.9

$2.77 MX$47.06

-15.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 NIO 60.4

$5.24 MX$88.8

-68.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 NIO 61.2

$3.65 MX$61.9

-54.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.86 NIO 251

$5.78 MX$98.1

18.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 NIO 48.65

$1.54 MX$26.09

-13.64%

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

$23.2K NIO 849.3K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

1.70%

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

$26.1K NIO 955.3K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

1.05%

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

$117 NIO 4,283

$90.7 MX$1,538

28.98%

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

$16.75 NIO 613

$25.19 MX$427

-33.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.65 NIO 1,342

$31.75 MX$539

15.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$8.33 NIO 305

$4.86 MX$82.5

71.40%

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

$237 NIO 8,673

$226 MX$3,828

4.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,955 NIO 218.1K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

41.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.2 NIO 2,607

$47.38 MX$804

50.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.1 NIO 2,642

$43.45 MX$737

66.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 NIO 4,935

$80.2 MX$1,361

67.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 NIO 3,904

$91.4 MX$1,550

16.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

11.45

-10.48%

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

Last update for Masaya: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Masaya versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $278 – making Masaya 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 65%, 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 $1,185 per month in Masaya and $1,958 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 $37.00 in Masaya and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Masaya, where all-in costs run around $790, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.