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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $364 in Aizawl, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $576 in Aizawl, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $789 in Aizawl, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 248% more than Aizawl, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Aizawl are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Aizawl 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$2.12 ₹203

447.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$10.55 ₹1,012

346.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$3.71 ₹356

220.22%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$1.62 ₹155

145.68%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.33 ₹31.44

333.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.13 ₹12.78

530.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$2.29 ₹220

39.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.09 ₹296

119.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$0.71 ₹67.9

136.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.54 ₹51.4

307.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$0.66 ₹63.0

159.09%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$0.96 ₹91.8

185.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$4.14 ₹397

131.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.77 ₹362

138.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.89 ₹181

52.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.18 ₹113

27.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$0.96 ₹92.3

123.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$0.48 ₹46.00

370.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.55 ₹52.7

260.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.38 ₹36.50

423.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.52 ₹49.48

136.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.19 ₹18.49

531.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$4.99 ₹479

-8.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$6.87 ₹659

50.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.58 ₹152

2.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.68 ₹257

7.46%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$4.81 ₹462

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.29 ₹27.58

106.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$6.51 ₹625

342.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.81 ₹77.8

565.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.27 ₹26.07

1281.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$1.27 ₹122

354.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.11 ₹106

38.74%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$12.6K ₹1.2M

79.30%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$18.2K ₹1.7M

43.27%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$33.31 ₹3,196

174.33%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$3.66 ₹351

588.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$6.68 ₹641

367.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$14.00 ₹1,343

380.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$6.54 ₹627

345.11%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$3.16 ₹303

53.80%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$48.56 ₹4,659

360.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$1,360 ₹130.5K

211.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$21.68 ₹2,080

117.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$22.72 ₹2,180

94.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$37.66 ₹3,613

112.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$26.94 ₹2,584

243.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$101 ₹9,682

952.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$62.2 ₹5,964

527.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$258 ₹24.7K

733.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$163 ₹15.7K

679.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$1,038 ₹99.6K

285.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$474 ₹45.4K

1272.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$257 ₹24.7K

194.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

8.86

29.23%

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 Aizawl: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $101 in Aizawl. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 195% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $11.00 in Aizawl. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $107 – making Aizawl the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Aizawl: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 248%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $546 in Aizawl. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aizawl, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $11.00 in Aizawl. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $364 in Aizawl. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Aizawl, where all-in costs run around $364, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Aizawl it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Aizawl – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Aizawl. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.