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: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $510 in Amparai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $824 in Amparai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,138 in Amparai.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 156% more expensive than in Amparai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Amparai 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$4.35 LKR 1,428

174.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$26.40 LKR 8,675

79.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$7.77 LKR 2,554

51.22%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.45 LKR 806

68.16%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.72 LKR 238

94.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.25 LKR 81.6

264.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.24 LKR 736

43.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.96 LKR 974

138.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.63 LKR 536

3.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.54 LKR 177

298.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$0.80 LKR 262

121.25%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.62 LKR 531

74.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$13.47 LKR 4,426

-31.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$4.95 LKR 1,626

86.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$7.06 LKR 2,321

79.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$7.00 LKR 2,300

-57.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$0.89 LKR 294

77.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$4.27 LKR 1,403

-48.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.28 LKR 420

84.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.01 LKR 333

97.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.80 LKR 264

147.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.91 LKR 299

36.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.49 LKR 159

146.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$10.18 LKR 3,346

-54.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$13.89 LKR 4,566

-24.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.92 LKR 631

-11.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.86 LKR 940

-3.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.38 LKR 125

1278.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.36 LKR 118

913.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$0.87 LKR 287

564.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.35 LKR 443

14.07%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$30.1K LKR 9.9M

-24.17%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$42.5K LKR 14.0M

-39.30%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$55.9 LKR 18.4K

62.32%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$4.13 LKR 1,357

509.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$20.82 LKR 6,842

52.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$1.80 LKR 593

170.00%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$38.47 LKR 12.6K

486.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$1,205 LKR 396.1K

247.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$20.09 LKR 6,602

135.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$16.50 LKR 5,422

163.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$79.5 LKR 26.1K

0.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$41.96 LKR 13.8K

117.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$92.0 LKR 30.2K

741.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

12.69

-9.77%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Amparai: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 741% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $26.00 in Amparai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $239 per month, with Amparai 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 Amparai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Amparai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 156% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 741% 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 $226 in Playa del Carmen versus $38.47 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 $26.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $510 in Amparai versus $1,305 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 156% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.