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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,205 in Ningi versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,172 in Ningi versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,139 in Ningi versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Ningi is roughly 70% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ningi is 65% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.25 A$22.64

$11.73 MX$203

38.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 A$71.0

$41.62 MX$720

22.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.89 A$9.61

$10.64 MX$184

-35.24%

Cappuccino

$2.80 A$3.90

$3.52 MX$60.9

-20.45%

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

$2.09 A$2.91

$1.51 MX$26.12

38.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.75

$0.97 MX$16.84

103.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.35 A$8.84

$2.95 MX$51.0

115.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.93 A$11.06

$4.45 MX$77.0

78.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 A$2.01

$1.38 MX$23.93

4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 A$3.25

$1.89 MX$32.72

23.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 A$3.11

$1.64 MX$28.32

35.98%

Eggs

$3.21 A$4.47

$2.51 MX$43.34

27.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.15 A$9.96

$8.34 MX$144

-14.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 A$10.84

$8.34 MX$144

-6.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.43 A$17.32

$10.73 MX$186

15.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 A$3.60

$2.60 MX$45.04

-0.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 A$3.21

$1.46 MX$25.20

57.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 A$3.68

$1.90 MX$32.87

38.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.74 A$5.22

$2.08 MX$35.91

79.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.29

$1.78 MX$30.71

32.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 A$3.37

$2.19 MX$37.80

10.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 A$2.66

$1.04 MX$17.99

83.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 A$2.32

$1.08 MX$18.62

54.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.29 A$36.64

$4.08 MX$70.6

544.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.32 A$19.95

$10.32 MX$178

38.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$6.16 A$8.58

$1.71 MX$29.61

260.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 A$9.36

$2.58 MX$44.54

160.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 A$3.65

$0.51 MX$8.81

413.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.0 A$89.2

$26.46 MX$458

141.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 A$2.76

$3.26 MX$56.4

-39.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 A$1.61

$2.49 MX$43.09

-53.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.18 A$47.63

$3.25 MX$56.2

951.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 A$1.61

$1.31 MX$22.61

-11.45%

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

$22.9K A$31.9K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-24.47%

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

$19.6K A$27.2K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-16.55%

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

$220 A$306

$82.9 MX$1,433

165.05%

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

$31.62 A$44.07

$22.22 MX$384

42.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.30 A$67.3

$29.34 MX$507

64.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.67 A$67.8

$51.6 MX$893

-5.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.80 A$22.01

$18.32 MX$317

-13.76%

Cinema Ticket

$13.08 A$18.23

$5.07 MX$87.6

157.99%

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

$2,158 A$3,007

$201 MX$3,473

974.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,238 A$10.1K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

38.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 A$70.8

$36.92 MX$639

37.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.79 A$66.6

$39.79 MX$688

20.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 A$124

$78.5 MX$1,357

13.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 A$175

$87.1 MX$1,506

44.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,282 A$1,787

$973 MX$16.8K

31.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 A$1,475

$468 MX$8,090

126.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 A$2,842

$1,641 MX$28.4K

24.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,698 A$2,366

$1,221 MX$21.1K

39.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,085 A$8,479

$3,946 MX$68.3K

54.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,851 A$6,760

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-25.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

11.42

-42.73%

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

Last update for Ningi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,282 in Ningi and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $51.0 in Ningi vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $325 vs $249 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

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

Ningi and Playa del Carmen differ by about 70% in total monthly costs ($2,205 vs $1,297 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,307 in Ningi and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,282 in Ningi versus $973 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 $42.00 versus $51.0 in Ningi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,205 per month in Ningi versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 70% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,205 in Ningi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Ningi. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ningi 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 70% less than in Ningi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.