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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,000 in Apia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,130 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,533 in Apia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,999 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,066 in Apia.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 26% more expensive than Apia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Apia 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$53.0 WST 143

-78.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$36.10 WST 97.5

16.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$13.95 WST 37.67

-25.45%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$2.49 WST 6.73

44.98%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$1.99 WST 5.37

-26.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$1.32 WST 3.56

-31.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$4.22 WST 11.39

-28.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$3.50 WST 9.45

27.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$1.75 WST 4.74

-21.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$0.83 WST 2.24

121.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$1.75 WST 4.72

-8.00%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$4.27 WST 11.54

-39.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$0.88 WST 2.37

864.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$3.47 WST 9.36

144.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$8.08 WST 21.82

36.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$5.08 WST 13.72

-46.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$1.83 WST 4.94

-18.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$1.82 WST 4.90

7.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$4.33 WST 11.70

-51.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$3.53 WST 9.54

-47.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$1.05 WST 2.84

106.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$1.17 WST 3.15

-10.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$6.17 WST 16.65

-32.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$16.57 WST 44.73

-37.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$1.77 WST 4.78

-5.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$3.51 WST 9.48

-29.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$3.52 WST 9.50

-84.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$5.40 WST 14.58

-42.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$21.45 WST 57.9

-84.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$1.04 WST 2.82

21.15%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$17.54 WST 47.35

378.85%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$17.72 WST 47.85

25.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$35.20 WST 95.0

-15.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

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

$198 MX$3,438

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$49.68 WST 134

-27.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$40.15 WST 108

-0.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$76.1 WST 205

3.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$99.0 WST 267

-12.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$1,837 WST 4,959

-33.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Apia: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $977 in Playa del Carmen and $0 in Apia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42 in Playa del Carmen vs $36 in Apia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $235 per month, with Apia 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 Apia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Apia wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Apia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,891 in Playa del Carmen and $1,499 in Apia 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.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,000 in Apia – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,000 in Apia versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Apia but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Apia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Apia delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,000 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Apia hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Apia 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 Apia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.