Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nadi and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,397 in Nadi, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Nadi outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Nadi, Fiji
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Nadi
🇫🇯 Fiji
$1,397
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nadi and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Nadi and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,397 per month in Nadi vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Nadi $1,397
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $2,051 per month in Nadi vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Nadi $2,051
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $2,705 per month in Nadi vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Nadi $2,705
  • Playa del Carmen $2,959

Nadi costs about 16% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nadi sits 3% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nadi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.72 FJD 19.47
$10.92 MX$205
-20.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.31 FJD 83.3
$43.37 MX$815
-13.97%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.96 FJD 20.00
$11.78 MX$221
-23.94%
Cappuccino
$4.41 FJD 9.83
$3.81 MX$71.6
15.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46 FJD 3.26
$1.28 MX$24.10
14.06%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.23 FJD 2.76
$0.78 MX$14.71
57.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.67 FJD 5.97
$3.17 MX$59.5
-15.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.57 FJD 10.20
$4.93 MX$92.7
-7.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nadi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.37 FJD 3.05
$1.41 MX$26.43
-2.84%
White Bread (500g)
$1.09 FJD 2.43
$2.22 MX$41.66
-50.90%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.34 FJD 2.98
$1.42 MX$26.64
-5.63%
Eggs
$3.11 FJD 6.94
$2.52 MX$47.41
23.41%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.95 FJD 26.68
$7.26 MX$137
64.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.86 FJD 30.94
$7.70 MX$145
80.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.74 FJD 35.14
$12.69 MX$239
24.03%
Apples (1kg)
$3.01 FJD 6.71
$2.78 MX$52.3
8.27%
Banana (1kg)
$2.78 FJD 6.21
$1.37 MX$25.71
102.92%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.65 FJD 8.15
$2.55 MX$47.94
43.14%
Tomato (1kg)
-
$2.12 MX$39.90
-
Potato (1kg)
$2.05 FJD 4.57
$1.94 MX$36.43
5.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 FJD 4.40
$1.89 MX$35.44
4.23%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.10 FJD 2.44
$1.15 MX$21.55
-4.35%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.96 FJD 2.15
$1.18 MX$22.16
-18.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.27 FJD 20.69
$4.30 MX$80.7
115.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.91 FJD 22.11
$9.95 MX$187
-0.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.81 FJD 6.28
$1.58 MX$29.76
77.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.27 FJD 7.29
$2.67 MX$50.2
22.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Nadi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.66 FJD 1.47
$0.55 MX$10.40
20.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$26.62 MX$500
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.09 FJD 2.44
$4.97 MX$93.4
-78.07%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.45 FJD 1.02
$3.33 MX$62.6
-86.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.85 FJD 10.82
$5.36 MX$101
-9.51%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 FJD 2.98
$1.44 MX$27.14
-7.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.1K FJD 53.7K
$20.7K MX$388.4K
16.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.2K FJD 49.6K
$23.5K MX$441.0K
-5.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nadi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$67.2 FJD 150
$84.8 MX$1,594
-20.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.96 FJD 40.10
$23.41 MX$440
-23.28%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.92 FJD 51.2
$28.66 MX$539
-20.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nadi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.20 FJD 85.3
$57.1 MX$1,072
-33.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$28.91 MX$543
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.45 FJD 12.16
$5.14 MX$96.6
6.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nadi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$207 MX$3,882
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$3,927 MX$73.8K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nadi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$29.03 FJD 64.8
$43.35 MX$815
-33.03%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.00 FJD 98.2
$41.44 MX$779
6.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$57.8 FJD 129
$74.2 MX$1,394
-22.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$66.3 FJD 148
$89.3 MX$1,677
-25.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nadi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,107 FJD 2,471
$980 MX$18.4K
13.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 FJD 1,462
$381 MX$7,157
72.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,675 FJD 3,738
$1,708 MX$32.1K
-1.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,003 FJD 2,239
$1,075 MX$20.2K
-6.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$679 FJD 1,515
$3,943 MX$74.1K
-82.79%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$509 FJD 1,137
$6,158 MX$115.7K
-91.73%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nadi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$833 FJD 1,859
$735 MX$13.8K
13.38%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.25
11.45
-36.68%

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

Last update for Nadi: October 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nadi
$655
Playa del Carmen
$381 41.9% $274
Groceries & Markets
Nadi
$307 *
Playa del Carmen
$255 17.1% $53
Eating Out
Nadi
$183
Playa del Carmen
$202 10.7% $20
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nadi
$108
Playa del Carmen
$137 26.6% $29
Clothing & Footwear
Nadi
$89
Playa del Carmen
$112 25.9% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Nadi
$49
Playa del Carmen
$67 37.1% $18
Getting Around
Nadi
$6 *
Playa del Carmen
$50 741% $44

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,107 in Nadi versus $980 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 13% higher in Nadi, 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 $37 in Nadi versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $307 in Nadi vs $255 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇫🇯 Nadi
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
20:12 8:12 PM
03:12 3:12 AM
17 h behind Nadi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
50,000
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to FJD – Fijian Dollar Converter

Fijian Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 2.23 FJD (1 FJD = 0.448 USD). 1 EUR = 2.49 FJD (1 FJD = 0.401 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.79 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 20.97 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nadi Playa del Carmen 11,250 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nadi
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Nadi vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Nadi?
Yes – Nadi is pricier by about 16%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,096 per month in Nadi and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $980 there versus $1,107 in Nadi.
How do food prices compare in Nadi and in Playa del Carmen?
Groceries cost about 21% more in Nadi, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Nadi or in Playa del Carmen?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $37 in Nadi and $43 in Playa del Carmen. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is it better to live in Nadi or in Playa del Carmen?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,204 in Playa del Carmen to $1,397 in Nadi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nadi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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