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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,215 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $490 in Ambositra, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,144 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $745 in Ambositra, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,072 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,000 in Ambositra, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 148% more than Ambositra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ambositra are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 9% lower, Ambositra 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.97 MX$198

$2.69 MGA 12.0K

307.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.85 MX$811

$20.82 MGA 92.6K

115.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.92 MX$216

$5.79 MGA 25.7K

105.87%

Cappuccino

$3.80 MX$68.8

$1.65 MGA 7,330

130.30%

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

$1.31 MX$23.71

$0.82 MGA 3,660

59.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 MX$15.48

$0.45 MGA 2,007

91.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$58.0

$1.02 MGA 4,519

214.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 MX$90.6

$2.24 MGA 9,944

123.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 MX$26.36

$1.04 MGA 4,615

40.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 MX$42.06

$1.01 MGA 4,510

130.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MX$26.07

$0.72 MGA 3,217

100.00%

Eggs

$2.46 MX$44.50

$2.01 MGA 8,948

22.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 MX$139

$8.49 MGA 37.7K

-9.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.89 MX$143

$4.43 MGA 19.7K

78.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.80 MX$231

$5.02 MGA 22.3K

154.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MX$52.7

$1.06 MGA 4,709

175.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MX$25.70

$0.54 MGA 2,414

162.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MX$46.37

$1.07 MGA 4,737

140.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MX$38.63

$0.90 MGA 3,995

137.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 MX$35.19

$0.60 MGA 2,682

225.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 MX$35.00

$0.99 MGA 4,398

95.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$20.80

$0.33 MGA 1,466

248.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MX$22.07

$0.68 MGA 3,023

79.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 MX$79.1

$1.62 MGA 7,222

170.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.85 MX$178

$5.03 MGA 22.4K

95.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$27.79

$1.04 MGA 4,606

48.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 MX$49.08

$1.81 MGA 8,056

50.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.42 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 MX$88.8

$3.38 MGA 15.0K

45.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.52 MX$63.7

$2.01 MGA 8,939

75.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 MX$103

$4.57 MGA 20.3K

24.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$27.84

$1.13 MGA 5,023

36.28%

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

$21.2K MX$383.9K

$11.9K MGA 53.1M

77.78%

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

$24.5K MX$442.6K

$25.6K MGA 113.9M

-4.39%

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

$83.6 MX$1,511

$76.0 MGA 337.8K

10.03%

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

$24.03 MX$434

$17.22 MGA 76.6K

39.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.33 MX$530

$58.3 MGA 259.1K

-49.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.9 MX$1,172

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.46 MX$532

Cinema Ticket

$5.09 MX$91.9

$5.65 MGA 25.1K

-9.91%

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

$208 MX$3,754

$25.50 MGA 113.4K

714.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,045 MX$73.1K

$14.9K MGA 66.3M

-72.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.55 MX$805

$28.78 MGA 127.9K

54.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 MX$760

$28.22 MGA 125.5K

49.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 MX$1,365

$77.4 MGA 343.9K

-2.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,652

$70.2 MGA 311.9K

30.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 MX$17.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 MX$6,962

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,713 MX$31.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,108 MX$20.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,016 MX$72.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,247 MX$112.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

15.75

-27.30%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026

Last update for Ambositra: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $21.00 in Ambositra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $144 – making Ambositra 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 Ambositra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 148%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,823 per month in Playa del Carmen and $735 in Ambositra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,215 in Playa del Carmen and $490 in Ambositra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $208 per month in Playa del Carmen and $25.50 in Ambositra. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ambositra, where all-in costs run around $490, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,215. In Ambositra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ambositra – 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 Ambositra. 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.