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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,747 in Massa versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,679 in Massa versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,611 in Massa versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Massa is roughly 35% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Massa is 30% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.60 €15.15

$11.73 MX$203

50.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.6 €66.0

$41.62 MX$719

84.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 €9.33

$10.64 MX$184

1.88%

Cappuccino

$2.14 €1.84

$3.52 MX$60.8

-39.20%

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

$2.40 €2.07

$1.51 MX$26.09

58.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 €1.02

$0.97 MX$16.82

21.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 €4.04

$2.95 MX$51.0

59.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.82 €5.01

$4.45 MX$77.0

30.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 €1.41

$1.38 MX$23.90

18.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 €2.18

$1.89 MX$32.69

33.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.67 €2.29

$1.64 MX$28.29

62.80%

Eggs

$5.22 €4.49

$2.51 MX$43.30

107.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.05 €18.12

$8.34 MX$144

152.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.15 €11.32

$8.34 MX$144

57.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.13 €15.61

$10.73 MX$185

68.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.48 €2.13

$2.60 MX$45.00

-4.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$1.46 MX$25.18

45.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 €1.73

$1.90 MX$32.84

5.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 €2.54

$2.08 MX$35.88

42.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 €1.41

$1.78 MX$30.68

-8.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 €1.15

$2.19 MX$37.76

-38.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.04 MX$17.97

63.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 €0.56

$1.08 MX$18.60

-39.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.87

$4.08 MX$70.5

67.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.82

$10.32 MX$178

-23.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 €1.44

$1.71 MX$29.59

-1.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.58 MX$44.50

-28.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 €1.47

$0.51 MX$8.81

235.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.02 €37.03

$26.46 MX$457

62.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.75 €4.95

$3.26 MX$56.4

76.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 €1.25

$2.49 MX$43.05

-41.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.74 €24.74

$3.25 MX$56.1

784.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.31 MX$22.59

59.54%

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

$25.9K €22.3K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

-14.52%

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

$35.1K €30.2K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

49.83%

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

$176 €152

$82.9 MX$1,432

112.91%

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

$15.30 €13.18

$22.22 MX$384

-31.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.19 €25.99

$29.34 MX$507

2.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.7 €47.92

$51.6 MX$892

7.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 €19.58

$18.32 MX$317

24.13%

Cinema Ticket

$10.39 €8.94

$5.07 MX$87.5

104.93%

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

$667 €574

$201 MX$3,470

232.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,689 €4,037

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-10.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.9 €80.0

$36.92 MX$638

151.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.84 €37.74

$39.79 MX$688

10.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.4 €83.8

$78.5 MX$1,356

24.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$174 €150

$87.1 MX$1,505

99.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$750 €646

$973 MX$16.8K

-22.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$577 €496

$468 MX$8,082

23.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,050

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-25.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$914 €787

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-25.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,851 €2,455

$3,946 MX$68.2K

-27.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,078 €1,789

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-68.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,764 €1,519

$664 MX$11.5K

165.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.83

11.42

-57.71%

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

Last update for Massa: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $750 in Massa and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Massa pays 166% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $77.0 in Massa vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $249 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

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

Massa and Playa del Carmen differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($1,747 vs $1,297 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Massa pays 166% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $750 in Massa versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $77.0 in Massa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,747 per month in Massa versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,747 in Massa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Massa. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Massa and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Massa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.