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: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $466 in Antsirabe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $715 in Antsirabe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $965 in Antsirabe.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 180% more expensive than in Antsirabe, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Antsirabe 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$1.14 MGA 4,940

949.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$16.12 MGA 69.8K

193.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$5.97 MGA 25.9K

96.82%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$1.36 MGA 5,899

202.94%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.79 MGA 3,408

77.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.46 MGA 1,997

97.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.05 MGA 4,555

205.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.27 MGA 9,847

211.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$0.97 MGA 4,203

73.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.03 MGA 4,457

108.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$0.74 MGA 3,194

139.19%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.14 MGA 9,285

31.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$8.85 MGA 38.3K

3.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$4.50 MGA 19.5K

105.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$4.87 MGA 21.1K

159.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.13 MGA 4,893

161.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$0.57 MGA 2,450

177.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.03 MGA 4,465

115.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$0.84 MGA 3,654

180.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.57 MGA 2,473

249.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.96 MGA 4,180

106.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.35 MGA 1,523

254.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.45 MGA 1,947

168.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$1.59 MGA 6,895

189.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$5.10 MGA 22.1K

106.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.02 MGA 4,399

65.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$1.90 MGA 8,250

45.79%

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

$3.43 MGA 14.9K

52.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$2.13 MGA 9,210

71.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$4.71 MGA 20.4K

22.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.17 MGA 5,052

31.62%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$12.1K MGA 52.5M

88.02%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$26.0K MGA 112.7M

-0.79%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$76.5 MGA 331.3K

18.58%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$17.50 MGA 75.8K

43.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$57.7 MGA 250.0K

-44.96%

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

$5.79 MGA 25.1K

-16.06%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$25.69 MGA 111.3K

778.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$15.2K MGA 65.9M

-72.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$29.96 MGA 129.8K

58.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$28.66 MGA 124.2K

51.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$79.7 MGA 345.3K

0.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$71.0 MGA 307.5K

28.76%

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

15.75

-27.30%

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 Antsirabe: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $16.00 in Antsirabe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $142 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 180% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,958 in Playa del Carmen and $699 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 95% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $466 in Antsirabe – a 180% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $466 in Antsirabe versus $1,305 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 180% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.