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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $523 in Amparai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $861 in Amparai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,200 in Amparai.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 140% more expensive than in Amparai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Amparai 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$4.12 LKR 1,386

191.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$25.03 LKR 8,410

66.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$8.26 LKR 2,776

30.15%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.68 LKR 899

30.60%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.69 LKR 233

110.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.38 LKR 127

131.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.31 LKR 775

27.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.39 LKR 1,139

33.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.70 LKR 571

-15.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.55 LKR 185

234.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$0.87 LKR 292

80.46%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.22 LKR 748

13.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$13.97 LKR 4,695

-40.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.71 LKR 1,582

78.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$7.88 LKR 2,647

35.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$7.70 LKR 2,589

-66.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.11 LKR 373

29.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$5.80 LKR 1,950

-66.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.26 LKR 424

65.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.10 LKR 370

68.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.36 LKR 458

59.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.18 LKR 397

-12.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.60 LKR 202

78.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$9.99 LKR 3,357

-58.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$12.71 LKR 4,271

-19.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.01 LKR 675

-16.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.94 LKR 989

-13.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.38 LKR 128

750.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.35 LKR 119

588.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$0.57 LKR 192

466.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.24 LKR 417

6.45%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$27.1K LKR 9.1M

9.47%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$35.5K LKR 11.9M

-33.27%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$59.5 LKR 20.0K

37.90%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$4.31 LKR 1,448

432.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$15.32 LKR 5,147

96.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$2.00 LKR 671

149.00%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$37.14 LKR 12.5K

431.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$444 LKR 149.1K

1102.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$27.29 LKR 9,170

30.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$19.07 LKR 6,407

111.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$69.2 LKR 23.3K

13.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$38.87 LKR 13.1K

128.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$90.7 LKR 30.5K

620.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

16.45

-30.58%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Amparai: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 621% 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 $25.00 in Amparai. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $258, with Playa del Carmen 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 Amparai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Amparai is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 140% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 621% 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.

Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $37.14 in Amparai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Amparai – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $523 in Amparai versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Amparai but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Amparai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Amparai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Amparai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 140% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.