Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nicaragua and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Nicaragua: $946 a month against $1,215 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

46

Cost of Living Index in Nicaragua
Learn more

Nicaragua Living Index
60

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
Learn more

Playa del Carmen Living Index

Jump to prices

🇳🇮 Nicaragua

$946

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,215

/mo nomad

🙂 Solo nomad: Nicaragua is 27.2% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 22.1% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Nicaragua is 20.2% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 33.4% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.95 NIO 181

$10.97 MX$201

-54.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.88 NIO 1,131

$44.85 MX$823

-31.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.80 NIO 286

$11.92 MX$219

-34.56%

Cappuccino

$2.36 NIO 86.5

$3.80 MX$69.9

-37.89%

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

$0.89 NIO 32.75

$1.31 MX$24.08

-32.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 NIO 24.09

$0.86 MX$15.72

-23.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.34 NIO 48.91

$3.21 MX$59.0

-58.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 NIO 71.6

$5.01 MX$92.0

-60.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 NIO 44.22

$1.46 MX$26.77

-17.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 NIO 76.0

$2.33 MX$42.72

-10.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 NIO 60.7

$1.44 MX$26.48

15.28%

Eggs

$2.25 NIO 82.5

$2.46 MX$45.20

-8.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.34 NIO 342

$7.70 MX$141

21.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.96 NIO 218

$7.89 MX$145

-24.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.06 NIO 295

$12.80 MX$235

-37.03%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 NIO 173

$2.92 MX$53.6

61.99%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 NIO 29.68

$1.42 MX$26.11

-42.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 NIO 71.6

$2.57 MX$47.10

-24.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.34 NIO 85.7

$2.14 MX$39.24

9.35%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 NIO 139

$1.95 MX$35.75

94.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 NIO 83.9

$1.94 MX$35.55

18.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 NIO 39.44

$1.15 MX$21.13

-6.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 NIO 37.95

$1.22 MX$22.42

-14.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.61 NIO 132

$4.38 MX$80.3

-17.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.20 NIO 483

$9.85 MX$181

34.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 NIO 53.8

$1.54 MX$28.23

-4.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 NIO 79.2

$2.72 MX$49.86

-20.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 NIO 5.36

$0.52 MX$9.64

-71.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.02 NIO 221

$27.42 MX$503

-78.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 NIO 56.5

$4.91 MX$90.2

-68.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 NIO 54.1

$3.52 MX$64.7

-57.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.64 NIO 243

$5.69 MX$104

16.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 NIO 48.15

$1.54 MX$28.27

-14.94%

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

$23.1K NIO 845.1K

$21.2K MX$389.9K

8.64%

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

$25.9K NIO 947.3K

$24.5K MX$449.6K

5.63%

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

$113 NIO 4,138

$83.6 MX$1,535

35.12%

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

$17.92 NIO 656

$24.03 MX$441

-25.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.87 NIO 1,350

$29.33 MX$539

25.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.42 NIO 1,260

$64.9 MX$1,191

-46.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.17 NIO 556

$29.46 MX$541

-48.51%

Cinema Ticket

$9.29 NIO 340

$5.09 MX$93.4

82.51%

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

$234 NIO 8,583

$208 MX$3,813

12.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,687 NIO 244.9K

$4,045 MX$74.3K

65.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 NIO 1,981

$44.55 MX$818

21.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.45 NIO 1,628

$42.06 MX$772

5.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 NIO 4,155

$75.5 MX$1,387

50.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 NIO 4,514

$91.4 MX$1,678

34.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$359 NIO 13.1K

$986 MX$18.1K

-63.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 NIO 7,768

$385 MX$7,072

-44.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$612 NIO 22.4K

$1,713 MX$31.5K

-64.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 NIO 17.0K

$1,108 MX$20.4K

-58.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,205 NIO 44.1K

$4,016 MX$73.7K

-69.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$671 NIO 24.6K

$6,247 MX$114.7K

-89.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$353 NIO 12.9K

$758 MX$13.9K

-53.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.94

11.45

4.28%

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

Last update for Nicaragua: October 5, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Nicaragua

$249 26.1%

Playa del Carmen

$260 21.2% 4.4% $11

Accommodation & Living

Nicaragua

$212 22.2%

Playa del Carmen

$385 31.4% 81.6% $173

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nicaragua

$168 17.5%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.2% 18.3% $31

Clothing & Footwear

Nicaragua

$151 15.8%

Playa del Carmen

$114 9.3% 24.4% $37

Eating Out

Nicaragua

$108 11.3%

Playa del Carmen

$204 16.6% 88.6% $96

Sport & Entertainment

Nicaragua

$53 5.5%

Playa del Carmen

$75 6.1% 41.6% $22

Getting Around

Nicaragua

$16 1.6%

Playa del Carmen

$52 4.2% 235% $37

Good to know

🇳🇮 Nicaragua

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

00:51 12:51 AM

01:51 1:51 AM

1 h ahead of Nicaragua

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,676,948

149,923

💱 Currency

Nicaraguan Córdoba NIO C$

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

100 NIO = 2.73 USD

100 NIO = 2.43 EUR

100 MXN = 5.45 USD

100 MXN = 4.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to NIO – Nicaraguan Córdoba Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇮 Nicaraguan Córdoba (C$)

Nicaraguan Córdoba exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 36.62 NIO (100 NIO = 2.73 USD). 1 EUR = 41.08 NIO (100 NIO = 2.43 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.59 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

USD to NIO in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Nicaragua Playa del Carmen 950 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Nicaragua
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

Nicaragua vs other spots: cost of living compared

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nicaragua and Playa del Carmen

MXN, USD, EUR to NIO – Nicaraguan Córdoba Converter

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

Nicaragua

Playa del Carmen

Nicaragua

Playa del Carmen

Nicaragua vs other spots: cost of living compared

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