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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,485 in Masterton versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,448 in Masterton versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,411 in Masterton versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Masterton is roughly 15% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Masterton is 11% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.82 NZ$16.79

$11.94 MX$209

-17.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.0 NZ$154

$42.75 MX$748

110.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.28 NZ$15.86

$10.59 MX$185

-12.37%

Cappuccino

$3.15 NZ$5.38

$3.62 MX$63.4

-12.98%

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

$2.08 NZ$3.55

$1.47 MX$25.69

41.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 NZ$2.83

$0.94 MX$16.51

76.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 NZ$6.34

$3.09 MX$54.1

20.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 NZ$7.38

$4.46 MX$78.0

-3.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 NZ$2.54

$1.43 MX$24.94

4.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 NZ$2.88

$1.88 MX$32.97

-10.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 NZ$1.99

$1.63 MX$28.50

-28.83%

Eggs

$6.00 NZ$10.26

$2.64 MX$46.26

127.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.33 NZ$12.54

$8.21 MX$144

-10.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.43 NZ$16.12

$8.29 MX$145

13.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 NZ$20.76

$11.10 MX$194

9.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.18

$2.65 MX$46.40

-29.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.18

$1.50 MX$26.26

24.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 NZ$4.38

$1.99 MX$34.79

28.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.33 NZ$5.70

$2.08 MX$36.33

60.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 NZ$2.48

$1.79 MX$31.29

-18.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 NZ$2.01

$2.18 MX$38.09

-45.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 NZ$3.03

$1.08 MX$18.84

63.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 NZ$1.55

$1.04 MX$18.15

-13.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.04 NZ$34.26

$3.97 MX$69.5

404.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.74 NZ$18.37

$10.20 MX$179

5.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 NZ$3.97

$1.73 MX$30.22

34.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 NZ$4.43

$2.50 MX$43.71

3.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 NZ$4.03

$0.52 MX$9.07

353.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.0 NZ$109

$26.97 MX$472

137.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 NZ$4.06

$3.14 MX$55.0

-24.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 NZ$3.04

$2.40 MX$42.04

-25.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.81 NZ$69.8

$3.09 MX$54.0

1220.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 NZ$2.87

$1.27 MX$22.28

32.28%

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

$24.1K NZ$41.3K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-21.83%

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

$23.4K NZ$40.0K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

0.23%

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

$79.5 NZ$136

$82.0 MX$1,435

-3.05%

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

$31.57 NZ$54.0

$22.45 MX$393

40.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.75 NZ$83.4

$29.66 MX$519

64.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.52 NZ$69.3

$51.9 MX$908

-21.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.89 NZ$15.21

$18.67 MX$327

-52.38%

Cinema Ticket

$8.13 NZ$13.89

$4.97 MX$87.0

63.58%

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

$397 NZ$678

$198 MX$3,462

100.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,896 NZ$8,371

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-7.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.2 NZ$120

$36.34 MX$636

93.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.07 NZ$51.4

$40.05 MX$701

-24.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 NZ$178

$79.9 MX$1,398

30.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 NZ$194

$88.9 MX$1,555

27.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$785 NZ$1,342

$963 MX$16.9K

-18.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 NZ$1,046

$465 MX$8,133

31.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 NZ$2,169

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-20.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 NZ$1,833

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-11.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,456 NZ$4,200

$720 MX$12.6K

240.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

11.42

-41.42%

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

Last update for Masterton: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $785 in Masterton and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Masterton pays 241% 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: $90.0 in Masterton vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $251 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Masterton pays 241% 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: $785 in Masterton versus $963 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 $43.00 versus $90.0 in Masterton. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,485 per month in Masterton versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,485 in Masterton, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Masterton. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Masterton, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Masterton 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 15% less than in Masterton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.