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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,499 per month in Matera vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,409 per month in Matera vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,318 per month in Matera vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Matera costs about 18% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Matera sits 10% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.66 €13.65

$11.60 MX$200

35.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$47.11 MX$812

33.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.48 €10.01

$11.88 MX$205

-3.37%

Cappuccino

$1.87 €1.63

$3.98 MX$68.6

-53.02%

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

$2.26 €1.97

$1.43 MX$24.60

58.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.99

$0.82 MX$14.22

37.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 €5.10

$3.19 MX$55.0

83.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 €3.10

$6.79 MX$117

-47.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 €1.37

$1.68 MX$28.89

-6.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.20 MX$37.88

-20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 €2.83

$1.71 MX$29.45

90.06%

Eggs

$3.81 €3.32

$2.74 MX$47.26

39.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 €14.09

$9.58 MX$165

68.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.87 €11.22

$9.01 MX$155

42.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.46 €18.70

$12.81 MX$221

67.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 €2.19

$2.89 MX$49.81

-13.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 €1.80

$1.50 MX$25.81

37.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 €1.03

$2.15 MX$37.03

-45.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.85 €3.36

$2.26 MX$38.96

70.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 €1.57

$1.98 MX$34.15

-8.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.99 MX$34.30

-14.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 €1.23

$1.23 MX$21.28

14.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 €0.42

$1.20 MX$20.63

-60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$4.55 MX$78.5

56.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.47 €5.64

$10.37 MX$179

-37.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 €1.67

$1.62 MX$27.91

17.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 €2.70

$2.88 MX$49.67

7.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.69 €1.47

$0.60 MX$10.35

181.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.76 €18.10

$28.80 MX$497

-27.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.65 €4.05

$5.39 MX$92.9

-13.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 €1.14

$3.73 MX$64.3

-64.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.12 €21.02

$5.77 MX$99.5

318.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.81

$1.54 MX$26.48

35.06%

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

$38.2K €33.3K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

69.44%

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

$36.2K €31.6K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

39.05%

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

$211 €184

$91.4 MX$1,576

130.39%

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

$9.63 €8.40

$25.20 MX$435

-61.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.43 €28.27

$31.24 MX$539

3.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.5

$67.2 MX$1,159

-13.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.15 €21.93

$29.11 MX$502

-13.60%

Cinema Ticket

$11.52 €10.04

$4.86 MX$83.8

137.04%

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

$468 €408

$224 MX$3,856

109.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,263 €7,203

$4,229 MX$72.9K

95.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.9 €60.9

$47.10 MX$812

48.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 €38.69

$44.29 MX$764

0.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €96.2

$80.1 MX$1,381

37.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 €113

$92.7 MX$1,598

39.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$740 €645

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-30.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$435 €379

$390 MX$6,728

11.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,068 €931

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-50.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$869 €758

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-31.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,804 €2,444

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-29.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,247 €2,830

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-50.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,785 €1,556

$758 MX$13.1K

135.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

11.45

-73.01%

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

Last update for Matera: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $740 in Matera versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 135% higher in Matera, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Matera versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $337 vs $276 – making Playa del Carmen 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

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

Matera costs about 18% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,249 per month in Matera and $1,899 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 39% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $468 per month in Matera and $224 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Matera at $1,499. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Matera it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,266 versus $1,499 in Matera. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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