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 $718 per month in Masaya vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,138 per month in Masaya vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,558 per month in Masaya vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Masaya is about 45% 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 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.95 NIO 181

$11.73 MX$203

-57.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.34 NIO 1,294

$41.62 MX$720

-15.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.21 NIO 264

$10.64 MX$184

-32.24%

Cappuccino

$2.44 NIO 89.2

$3.52 MX$60.9

-30.68%

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

$0.84 NIO 30.60

$1.51 MX$26.12

-44.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 NIO 27.32

$0.97 MX$16.84

-22.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.29 NIO 47.42

$2.95 MX$51.0

-56.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 NIO 75.2

$4.45 MX$77.0

-53.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 NIO 46.00

$1.38 MX$23.93

-8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 NIO 87.0

$1.89 MX$32.72

25.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 NIO 68.2

$1.64 MX$28.32

13.41%

Eggs

$2.24 NIO 81.9

$2.51 MX$43.34

-10.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.39 NIO 417

$8.34 MX$144

36.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.81 NIO 249

$8.34 MX$144

-18.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.92 NIO 290

$10.73 MX$186

-26.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.93 NIO 144

$2.60 MX$45.04

51.15%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 NIO 30.49

$1.46 MX$25.20

-43.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 NIO 66.4

$1.90 MX$32.87

-4.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 NIO 81.1

$2.08 MX$35.91

6.25%

Potato (1kg)

$4.05 NIO 148

$1.78 MX$30.71

127.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 NIO 80.1

$2.19 MX$37.80

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 NIO 37.06

$1.04 MX$17.99

-2.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 NIO 38.13

$1.08 MX$18.62

-3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.68 NIO 98.3

$4.08 MX$70.6

-34.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.69 NIO 538

$10.32 MX$178

42.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 NIO 53.3

$1.71 MX$29.61

-15.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 NIO 82.1

$2.58 MX$44.54

-13.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 NIO 53.3

$3.26 MX$56.4

-55.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.88 NIO 252

$3.25 MX$56.2

111.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 NIO 49.91

$1.31 MX$22.61

3.82%

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

$22.8K NIO 835.6K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-24.65%

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

$26.2K NIO 959.3K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

11.79%

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

$98.9 NIO 3,622

$82.9 MX$1,433

19.34%

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

$16.80 NIO 615

$22.22 MX$384

-24.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.42 NIO 1,370

$29.34 MX$507

27.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$7.96 NIO 291

$5.07 MX$87.6

57.00%

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

$124 NIO 4,540

$201 MX$3,473

-38.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,948 NIO 217.9K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

14.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 NIO 2,846

$36.92 MX$639

110.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.7 NIO 2,662

$39.79 MX$688

82.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 NIO 4,762

$78.5 MX$1,357

65.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 NIO 4,019

$87.1 MX$1,506

26.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 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 – $262 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 81%, 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 $1,077 per month in Masaya and $1,945 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 $718, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.