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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $294 in Antsirabe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $471 in Antsirabe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $648 in Antsirabe.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 341% more expensive than Antsirabe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Antsirabe 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$1.01 MGA 4,249

1061.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$14.27 MGA 59.8K

191.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.33 MGA 18.1K

145.73%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.35 MGA 5,651

160.74%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.81 MGA 3,394

86.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.53 MGA 2,239

83.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.51 MGA 6,321

95.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$0.41 MGA 1,721

236.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.42 MGA 1,752

350.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$0.58 MGA 2,411

182.76%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$0.79 MGA 3,304

217.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.59 MGA 31.8K

9.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.73 MGA 15.6K

123.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$4.08 MGA 17.1K

162.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$0.69 MGA 2,882

276.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$0.28 MGA 1,179

421.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$0.64 MGA 2,679

196.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.35 MGA 1,449

494.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.21 MGA 879

747.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.43 MGA 1,798

409.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.09 MGA 363

1055.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.43 MGA 1,796

151.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.09 MGA 395

466.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$37.91 MGA 158.9K

118.60%

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

$22.22 MX$384

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$62.2 MGA 260.9K

-52.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$16.58 MGA 69.5K

211.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

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

$201 MX$3,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$67.9 MGA 284.6K

1332.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$44.67 MGA 187.3K

947.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$218 MGA 914.7K

652.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$155 MGA 650.2K

687.16%

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

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Antsirabe: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 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 $14.00 in Antsirabe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $84.0 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 341% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,945 in Playa del Carmen and $441 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: $973 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 197% 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 $14.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $294 in Antsirabe versus $1,297 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 341% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.