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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $305 in Antsirabe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $496 in Antsirabe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $686 in Antsirabe.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 312% more expensive than in Antsirabe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Antsirabe 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$1.01 MGA 4,349

1087.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$14.53 MGA 62.4K

187.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$4.51 MGA 19.4K

138.36%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.32 MGA 5,656

165.15%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.85 MGA 3,667

70.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.58 MGA 2,474

51.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.53 MGA 6,562

92.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.38 MGA 1,635

276.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.46 MGA 1,953

300.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$0.59 MGA 2,524

166.10%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$0.84 MGA 3,592

198.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$7.82 MGA 33.5K

5.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.67 MGA 15.8K

129.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$3.95 MGA 17.0K

170.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$0.70 MGA 3,013

272.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$0.28 MGA 1,209

414.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$0.65 MGA 2,780

201.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.32 MGA 1,361

553.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.21 MGA 897

780.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.46 MGA 1,960

371.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.09 MGA 398

1044.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.45 MGA 1,950

137.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$5.14 MGA 22.1K

97.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.09 MGA 392

466.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$37.61 MGA 161.4K

118.05%

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

$22.95 MX$400

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$62.8 MGA 269.5K

-52.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$16.34 MGA 70.1K

218.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

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

$197 MX$3,438

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$67.9 MGA 291.3K

1295.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$44.23 MGA 189.8K

971.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$218 MGA 935.2K

654.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$158 MGA 677.0K

667.22%

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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 Antsirabe: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $67.9 in Antsirabe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $15.00 in Antsirabe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $95.0 per month, with Antsirabe 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 Antsirabe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Antsirabe is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 312% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,884 in Playa del Carmen and $458 in Antsirabe to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $67.9 in Antsirabe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 162% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Antsirabe – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $305 in Antsirabe versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Antsirabe but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Antsirabe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Antsirabe 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.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Antsirabe are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Antsirabe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 312% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.