Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Onitsha and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Onitsha: $0.71 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $14,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Onitsha

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$0.71

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Onitsha 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 Onitsha and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $0.71 per month in Onitsha vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Onitsha $0.71
Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $1.25 per month in Onitsha vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Onitsha $1.25
Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $1.78 per month in Onitsha vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Onitsha $1.78
Playa del Carmen $2,959

Onitsha is about 100% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Onitsha and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Onitsha 100% lower, Playa del Carmen 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.92 MX$203

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.37 MX$805

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.78 MX$219

Cappuccino

$3.81 MX$70.7

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

$1.28 MX$23.81

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 MX$14.54

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.17 MX$58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MX$91.7

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MX$26.12

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$41.17

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MX$26.32

Eggs

$2.52 MX$46.85

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 MX$135

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 MX$143

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.69 MX$236

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MX$51.7

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MX$25.41

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 MX$47.37

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$39.43

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.00

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 MX$35.02

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$21.29

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 MX$21.89

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MX$79.8

Wine (Bottle)

$9.95 MX$185

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$29.41

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 MX$49.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 ₦239

$0.55 MX$10.28

-67.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.62 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 MX$92.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.33 MX$61.9

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$26.82

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

$20.7K MX$383.8K

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

$23.5K MX$435.8K

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

$84.8 MX$1,575

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

$23.41 MX$435

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.66 MX$532

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 MX$1,059

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.91 MX$537

Cinema Ticket

$5.14 MX$95.4

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

$207 MX$3,836

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,927 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.35 MX$805

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.44 MX$770

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MX$1,378

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,657

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$980 MX$18.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 MX$7,072

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 MX$31.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 MX$20.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,943 MX$73.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,158 MX$114.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$735 MX$13.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Onitsha: 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

Onitsha

–

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6%

Groceries & Markets

Onitsha

–

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2%

Eating Out

Onitsha

–

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Onitsha

–

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Onitsha

–

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3%

Sport & Entertainment

Onitsha

–

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6%

Getting Around

Onitsha

–

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2%

Good to know

🇳🇬 Onitsha

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

04:22 4:22 AM

22:22 10:22 PM

6 h behind Onitsha

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,080,000

149,923

💱 Currency

Nigerian Naira NGN ₦

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 NGN = 7.48 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.68 EUR

100 MXN = 5.38 USD

100 MXN = 4.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to NGN – Nigerian Naira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇬 Nigerian Naira (₦)

Nigerian Naira exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 1,337 NGN (10,000 NGN = 7.48 USD). 1 EUR = 1,498 NGN (10,000 NGN = 6.68 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 18.57 MXN (100 MXN = 5.38 USD). 1 EUR = 20.81 MXN (100 MXN = 4.8 EUR).

USD to NGN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Onitsha Playa del Carmen 10,170 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Onitsha
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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 169517%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1.07 per month in Onitsha and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Onitsha, where all-in costs run around $0.71, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Onitsha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen 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 $0.71 in Onitsha to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.