😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $631 in Ado-ekiti.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,223 in Ado-ekiti.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,815 in Ado-ekiti.
😐Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 104% more expensive than Ado-ekiti, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen4% lower, Ado-ekiti53% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Ado-ekiti
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$208
$2.65₦3,617
350.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$744
$50.5₦69.0K
-15.38%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$184
$5.40₦7,369
96.11%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.0
$1.98₦2,710
82.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.54
$0.34₦460
332.35%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.41
$0.16₦215
487.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$53.8
$0.67₦917
361.19%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$77.6
$1.37₦1,873
225.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Ado-ekiti
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.80
$2.27₦3,102
-37.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.79
$1.07₦1,459
75.70%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.34
$2.24₦3,062
-27.23%
Eggs
$2.64MX$45.99
$1.70₦2,319
55.29%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$143
$2.56₦3,500
220.70%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$144
$3.67₦5,018
125.89%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$193
$3.89₦5,319
185.35%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.14
$1.88₦2,567
40.96%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.11
$2.06₦2,811
-27.18%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.59
$0.97₦1,325
105.15%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.13
$2.17₦2,966
-4.15%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.11
$1.01₦1,384
77.23%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$37.87
$1.96₦2,679
11.22%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.73
$1.02₦1,398
5.88%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.04
$0.36₦485
188.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.1
$0.58₦793
584.48%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$178
$3.16₦4,322
222.78%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.04
$0.68₦922
154.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.46
$0.88₦1,201
184.09%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Ado-ekiti
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.02
$0.48₦657
8.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$469
$64.4₦88.0K
-58.15%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$54.7
$0.48₦657
554.17%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$41.80
$2.16₦2,953
11.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$53.7
$4.81₦6,573
-35.76%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.16
$0.61₦828
108.20%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$537.3K
$20.6K₦28.1M
50.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$405.7K
$19.3K₦26.3M
21.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Ado-ekiti
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,427
$41.12₦56.2K
99.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$391
$5.72₦7,811
292.48%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$516
$34.73₦47.4K
-14.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Ado-ekiti
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$903
$7.81₦10.7K
564.15%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$325
$3.03₦4,139
516.17%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$86.5
$6.32₦8,633
-21.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Ado-ekiti
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,442
$82.0₦112.0K
141.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$91.7K
$1,481₦2.0M
256.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Ado-ekiti
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$632
$10.11₦13.8K
259.45%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$697
$22.10₦30.2K
81.22%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,390
$59.6₦81.4K
34.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,547
$29.97₦40.9K
196.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Ado-ekiti
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.8K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,086
$182₦248.3K
155.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.8K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.0K
$632₦863.4K
91.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$68.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.2K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Ado-ekiti
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
16.33
-30.07%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Last update for Ado-ekiti: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $51.0 in Ado-ekiti. Groceries flip the comparison at $251 vs $150, with Ado-ekiti cheaper for home cooking.
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 Ado-ekiti: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Playa del Carmen and Ado-ekiti?
Playa del Carmen and Ado-ekiti differ by about 104% in total monthly costs ($1,287 vs $631 including rent). Ado-ekiti is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Playa del Carmen compared to Ado-ekiti?
You'd need roughly $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $946 in Ado-ekiti 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.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 67% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Ado-ekiti – a meal for two runs $51.0 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $631 in Ado-ekiti versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ado-ekiti but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Ado-ekiti the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Ado-ekiti?
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.
Where should expats move: Playa del Carmen or Ado-ekiti?
Expats usually find Ado-ekiti gentler on the wallet – expenses run 104% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared