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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $529 in Amparai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $856 in Amparai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,183 in Amparai.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 145% more expensive than Amparai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Amparai 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.05 LKR 1,344

189.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$24.62 LKR 8,164

69.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.14 LKR 2,698

30.71%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.66 LKR 881

32.33%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.69 LKR 229

118.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.37 LKR 124

162.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.31 LKR 765

27.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.43 LKR 1,136

29.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.73 LKR 573

-20.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.51 LKR 171

270.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$0.88 LKR 290

86.36%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.21 LKR 733

13.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$14.24 LKR 4,721

-41.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.62 LKR 1,531

80.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$8.15 LKR 2,703

31.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$7.46 LKR 2,474

-65.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.10 LKR 365

32.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$5.76 LKR 1,910

-67.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.25 LKR 413

66.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.15 LKR 382

54.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.38 LKR 457

58.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.14 LKR 379

-8.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.60 LKR 198

80.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$10.15 LKR 3,367

-59.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$12.71 LKR 4,214

-18.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.99 LKR 660

-14.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.87 LKR 952

-10.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.39 LKR 129

735.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.35 LKR 117

611.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$0.57 LKR 189

470.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.21 LKR 403

8.26%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$27.0K LKR 9.0M

12.12%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$34.7K LKR 11.5M

-32.39%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$59.3 LKR 19.7K

39.72%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$4.27 LKR 1,417

420.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$15.32 LKR 5,078

91.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$1.97 LKR 655

157.36%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$36.57 LKR 12.1K

449.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$443 LKR 146.9K

1076.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$27.17 LKR 9,007

35.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$19.37 LKR 6,422

105.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$70.4 LKR 23.3K

11.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$39.41 LKR 13.1K

120.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$88.9 LKR 29.5K

647.15%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Amparai: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 647% 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 $257, 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 145% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 647% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $36.57 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 $529 in Amparai versus $1,297 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 145% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.