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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,121 in Abuja.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,034 in Abuja.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,947 in Abuja.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 13% more expensive than in Abuja, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Abuja 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$2.22 ₦2,940

422.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$30.30 ₦40.1K

55.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$4.44 ₦5,890

167.57%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$3.33 ₦4,407

19.52%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.51 ₦682

180.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.71 ₦943

15.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.07 ₦1,414

198.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.09 ₦2,767

224.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$3.62 ₦4,796

-53.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.31 ₦1,734

67.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$2.17 ₦2,881

-21.20%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.88 ₦2,489

45.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$11.16 ₦14.8K

-14.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.39 ₦7,143

67.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$5.90 ₦7,824

117.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.07 ₦2,741

39.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.43 ₦1,891

4.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.51 ₦2,003

42.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$2.36 ₦3,131

-4.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.81 ₦2,397

9.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.49 ₦3,295

-20.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.56 ₦741

119.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.37 ₦492

224.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$2.02 ₦2,671

125.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$5.71 ₦7,568

81.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.19 ₦1,583

36.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.85 ₦2,452

55.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.36 ₦481

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$32.36 ₦42.9K

-11.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.62 ₦821

769.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.88 ₦1,163

323.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$1.87 ₦2,483

208.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.54 ₦719

185.19%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$25.8K ₦34.2M

-12.63%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$18.2K ₦24.1M

43.31%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$111 ₦146.7K

-17.47%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$6.61 ₦8,758

281.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$28.79 ₦38.2K

8.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$36.48 ₦48.3K

84.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$11.07 ₦14.7K

162.96%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$4.98 ₦6,603

-2.41%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$44.89 ₦59.5K

398.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$3,151 ₦4.2M

34.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$25.50 ₦33.8K

84.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$60.6 ₦80.3K

-26.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$77.5 ₦102.7K

3.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$106 ₦140.2K

-12.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$1,391 ₦1.8M

-23.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$455 ₦603.4K

-14.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$3,403 ₦4.5M

-36.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$1,533 ₦2.0M

-17.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$701 ₦928.4K

471.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$380 ₦504.1K

1609.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$165 ₦218.4K

360.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

22.5

-49.11%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Abuja: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $1,391 in Abuja. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 360% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $30.00 in Abuja for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $219 per month, with Abuja 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

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

Playa del Carmen and Abuja differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($1,266 vs $1,121 including rent). Abuja is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 360% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,391 in Abuja. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,121 in Abuja – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Abuja runs roughly 12% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,121 in Abuja versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Abuja but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Abuja 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.

Expats usually find Abuja gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.