😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $625 in Ado-ekiti.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,216 in Ado-ekiti.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,806 in Ado-ekiti.
😐Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 103% more expensive than Ado-ekiti, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen5% lower, Ado-ekiti54% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Ado-ekiti
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.87MX$204
$2.62₦3,557
353.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.90MX$736
$50.5₦68.7K
-15.07%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.65MX$183
$5.45₦7,404
95.41%
Cappuccino
$3.45MX$59.2
$2.01₦2,736
71.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50MX$25.81
$0.36₦495
316.67%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95MX$16.28
$0.18₦243
427.78%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.03MX$51.9
$0.67₦905
352.24%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61MX$79.1
$1.39₦1,890
231.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Ado-ekiti
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38MX$23.61
$2.24₦3,043
-38.39%
White Bread(500g)
$1.85MX$31.70
$1.02₦1,383
81.37%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.61MX$27.65
$2.26₦3,070
-28.76%
Eggs
$2.59MX$44.51
$1.78₦2,416
45.51%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.26MX$142
$2.43₦3,301
239.92%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.37MX$144
$3.83₦5,207
118.54%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.66MX$183
$4.11₦5,591
159.37%
Apples(1kg)
$2.63MX$45.12
$1.93₦2,625
36.27%
Banana(1kg)
$1.49MX$25.53
$2.10₦2,858
-29.05%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.92MX$32.94
$0.98₦1,330
95.92%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.09MX$35.81
$2.27₦3,081
-7.93%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$31.88
$0.98₦1,332
89.80%
Onion(1kg)
$2.26MX$38.81
$1.94₦2,636
16.49%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.06MX$18.23
$1.01₦1,375
4.95%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09MX$18.67
$0.38₦521
186.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15MX$71.2
$0.63₦853
558.73%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.39MX$178
$2.62₦3,560
296.56%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72MX$29.59
$0.64₦868
168.75%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61MX$44.85
$0.92₦1,257
183.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Ado-ekiti
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.30
$0.49₦661
10.20%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.94MX$462
$65.9₦89.6K
-59.14%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.13MX$53.7
$0.52₦703
501.92%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.51MX$43.09
$2.25₦3,058
11.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.15MX$54.1
$4.71₦6,404
-33.12%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$21.88
$0.61₦826
108.20%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4KMX$521.3K
$20.4K₦27.7M
48.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6KMX$404.5K
$18.9K₦25.7M
24.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Ado-ekiti
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.0MX$1,425
$40.67₦55.3K
104.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.71MX$390
$5.97₦8,120
280.40%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.46MX$506
$34.33₦46.7K
-14.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Ado-ekiti
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.0MX$875
$7.84₦10.7K
550.51%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.33MX$315
$3.03₦4,115
504.95%
Cinema Ticket
$4.93MX$84.5
$6.27₦8,528
-21.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Ado-ekiti
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$197MX$3,386
$84.5₦114.9K
133.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,280MX$90.6K
$1,525₦2.1M
246.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Ado-ekiti
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.90MX$633
$9.82₦13.4K
275.76%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.89MX$685
$22.28₦30.3K
79.04%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.0MX$1,373
$59.3₦80.6K
35.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5MX$1,536
$29.93₦40.7K
198.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Ado-ekiti
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$956MX$16.4K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$477MX$8,189
$182₦248.0K
161.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,646MX$28.3K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,225MX$21.0K
$648₦881.5K
88.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,918MX$67.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,459MX$110.9K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Ado-ekiti
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$667MX$11.4K
-
-
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: June 7, 2026
Last update for Ado-ekiti: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $51.0 in Ado-ekiti. Groceries flip the comparison at $250 vs $151, 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 103% in total monthly costs ($1,271 vs $625 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 $1,906 in Playa del Carmen and $937 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 66% 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 $625 in Ado-ekiti versus $1,271 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 103% 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