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 $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $502 in Ambositra, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $769 in Ambositra, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,035 in Ambositra, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 165% more than Ambositra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ambositra are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Ambositra 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$2.82 MGA 12.1K

361.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$20.53 MGA 88.1K

125.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$5.66 MGA 24.3K

122.44%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$1.66 MGA 7,123

140.96%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$0.83 MGA 3,580

71.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$0.47 MGA 2,021

72.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$1.02 MGA 4,394

199.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$2.29 MGA 9,818

197.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$1.08 MGA 4,652

58.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$1.06 MGA 4,565

109.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$0.79 MGA 3,411

117.72%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$2.05 MGA 8,807

32.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$8.93 MGA 38.3K

4.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$4.56 MGA 19.6K

94.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$4.99 MGA 21.4K

156.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$1.12 MGA 4,823

179.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$0.56 MGA 2,419

176.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$1.08 MGA 4,622

99.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$0.91 MGA 3,916

158.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$0.62 MGA 2,664

225.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$0.96 MGA 4,106

107.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$0.36 MGA 1,529

244.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$0.76 MGA 3,241

56.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$1.67 MGA 7,155

178.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$5.34 MGA 22.9K

96.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$1.02 MGA 4,375

54.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$1.94 MGA 8,315

50.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$3.44 MGA 14.7K

54.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$2.07 MGA 8,892

79.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$4.62 MGA 19.8K

25.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$1.24 MGA 5,300

25.00%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$12.4K MGA 53.3M

80.16%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$26.1K MGA 111.9M

-1.99%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$75.4 MGA 323.7K

18.35%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$17.68 MGA 75.9K

31.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$57.8 MGA 248.1K

-45.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$6.45 MGA 27.7K

-21.55%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$25.33 MGA 108.7K

777.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$15.4K MGA 65.9M

-72.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$29.42 MGA 126.2K

57.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$28.88 MGA 123.9K

53.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$80.2 MGA 344.0K

19.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$70.9 MGA 304.1K

30.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

15.75

-26.35%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Ambositra: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $21.00 in Ambositra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $149 – 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 165%, 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 $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $754 in Ambositra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,330 in Playa del Carmen and $502 in Ambositra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $222 per month in Playa del Carmen and $25.33 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 $502, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. 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.