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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,955 per month in Nicosia vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,978 per month in Nicosia vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,002 per month in Nicosia vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Nicosia costs about 50% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Nicosia sits 42% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.34 €14.95

$11.96 MX$203

44.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €59.2

$47.38 MX$804

45.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.57 €8.25

$11.75 MX$199

-18.55%

Cappuccino

$3.68 €3.17

$4.12 MX$70.0

-10.68%

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

$1.87 €1.62

$1.40 MX$23.74

33.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 €0.84

$0.91 MX$15.48

6.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.62 €3.98

$3.21 MX$54.4

43.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 €5.08

$7.07 MX$120

-16.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 €1.66

$1.68 MX$28.44

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.02 €1.74

$2.15 MX$36.48

-6.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 €2.65

$1.77 MX$30.10

73.45%

Eggs

$4.81 €4.15

$2.82 MX$47.76

70.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.81 €11.91

$9.20 MX$156

50.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.52 €8.21

$9.23 MX$157

3.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.44 €11.59

$12.64 MX$214

6.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 €3.04

$2.95 MX$50.1

19.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.58 MX$26.79

33.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 €2.28

$2.22 MX$37.70

19.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.65 €3.15

$2.36 MX$40.09

54.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.99 MX$33.81

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 €1.42

$1.98 MX$33.58

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 €0.89

$1.24 MX$21.04

-16.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 €1.03

$1.21 MX$20.55

-1.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.91 €5.10

$4.60 MX$78.1

28.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.32 €7.18

$10.52 MX$178

-20.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.69 MX$28.70

5.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 €2.47

$2.77 MX$47.06

3.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 €2.38

$0.60 MX$10.22

360.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.06 €40.56

$29.70 MX$504

58.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.36 €5.48

$5.24 MX$88.8

21.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.79

$3.65 MX$61.9

-43.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.61 €40.18

$5.78 MX$98.1

706.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 €1.54

$1.54 MX$26.09

15.58%

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

$34.6K €29.8K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

51.73%

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

$34.0K €29.3K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

31.66%

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

$213 €184

$90.7 MX$1,538

135.09%

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

$21.39 €18.44

$25.19 MX$427

-15.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.93 €30.11

$31.75 MX$539

10.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.0 €65.5

$68.8 MX$1,167

10.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.70 €16.98

$29.37 MX$498

-32.92%

Cinema Ticket

$11.73 €10.11

$4.86 MX$82.5

141.36%

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

$542 €468

$226 MX$3,828

140.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,817 €8,462

$4,194 MX$71.1K

134.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.5

$47.38 MX$804

121.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 €48.36

$43.45 MX$737

29.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €88.1

$80.2 MX$1,361

27.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €106

$91.4 MX$1,550

34.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$829 €715

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-23.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$731 €630

$409 MX$6,933

78.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,796 €1,548

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-8.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 €1,178

$1,281 MX$21.7K

6.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,172 €2,734

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-21.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 €2,010

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-65.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,909 €1,646

$773 MX$13.1K

146.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

11.45

-60.87%

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

Last update for Nicosia: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $829 in Nicosia versus $1,086 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 147% higher in Nicosia, 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 $69.0 in Nicosia versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $319 vs $278 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,955 in Nicosia, $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 50% apart. Nicosia costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,932 per month in Nicosia and $1,958 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.

Kindergarten costs $542 per month in Nicosia and $226 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Nicosia, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Nicosia at $1,955. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nicosia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,305 in Playa del Carmen to $1,955 in Nicosia. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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