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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $661 in Ambon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,017 in Ambon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,373 in Ambon.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 90% more expensive than in Ambon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Ambon 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$0.88 Rp 16.0K

1231.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$12.22 Rp 220.9K

242.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$3.36 Rp 60.8K

212.80%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$1.74 Rp 31.4K

106.32%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$0.51 Rp 9,200

196.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.26 Rp 4,741

253.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$2.49 Rp 44.9K

18.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$3.45 Rp 62.4K

27.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.19 Rp 21.5K

17.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$1.16 Rp 21.0K

62.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$0.93 Rp 16.8K

67.74%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$1.55 Rp 28.0K

68.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$8.19 Rp 148.0K

1.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$3.11 Rp 56.3K

168.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$8.07 Rp 145.9K

34.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$2.34 Rp 42.2K

15.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.50 Rp 27.1K

0.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$1.82 Rp 32.8K

2.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$1.56 Rp 28.2K

40.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$1.33 Rp 24.0K

39.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$1.89 Rp 34.1K

17.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.95 Rp 17.3K

12.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.45 Rp 8,125

142.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$2.54 Rp 46.0K

64.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$19.90 Rp 359.8K

-47.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$2.13 Rp 38.5K

-22.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$3.07 Rp 55.5K

-14.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.32 Rp 5,787

68.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

$9.70 Rp 175.4K

169.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.57 Rp 10.3K

440.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$0.37 Rp 6,747

548.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$2.94 Rp 53.1K

6.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$0.83 Rp 15.1K

57.83%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$24.7K Rp 446.7M

20.65%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$27.6K Rp 498.2M

-15.35%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$70.9 Rp 1.3M

14.64%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$4.21 Rp 76.1K

435.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$22.67 Rp 409.9K

32.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$23.43 Rp 423.6K

125.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$6.00 Rp 108.5K

206.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$3.04 Rp 54.9K

61.84%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$91.5 Rp 1.7M

119.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$7,444 Rp 134.6M

-30.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$42.02 Rp 759.7K

-14.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$31.12 Rp 562.6K

28.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$66.9 Rp 1.2M

19.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$72.5 Rp 1.3M

19.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$261 Rp 4.7M

274.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$158 Rp 2.9M

197.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$582 Rp 10.5M

183.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$329 Rp 5.9M

266.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$1,166 Rp 21.1M

239.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$611 Rp 11.0M

981.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$170 Rp 3.1M

298.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.15

24.81%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ambon: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $261 in Ambon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 299% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $12.00 in Ambon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $207 per month, with Ambon 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 Ambon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ambon wins on cost – living expenses run 90% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ambon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 299% 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: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $261 in Ambon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $661 in Ambon – a 90% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ambon runs roughly 170% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $661 in Ambon versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ambon but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Ambon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ambon delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $661 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ambon hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Ambon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ambon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 90% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.