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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $999 in Apia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,575 in Apia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,152 in Apia.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 30% more expensive than Apia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Apia 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$205

$52.6 WST 144

-77.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$727

$35.09 WST 96.3

18.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$186

$13.93 WST 38.23

-23.62%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.5

$2.50 WST 6.85

40.80%

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

$1.51 MX$26.38

$2.09 WST 5.74

-27.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$17.01

$1.25 WST 3.44

-22.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.5

$4.39 WST 12.04

-32.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.8

$3.56 WST 9.78

25.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.17

$1.75 WST 4.79

-21.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$33.04

$0.78 WST 2.14

142.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.60

$1.75 WST 4.80

-6.29%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.77

$4.15 WST 11.38

-39.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$0.85 WST 2.32

881.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$3.59 WST 9.86

132.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$187

$8.25 WST 22.64

30.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.49

$5.07 WST 13.91

-48.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.45

$1.76 WST 4.83

-17.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.20

$1.81 WST 4.97

4.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.27

$4.31 WST 11.82

-51.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.02

$3.52 WST 9.67

-49.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.17

$1.06 WST 2.90

106.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.17

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.81

$1.15 WST 3.16

-6.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$71.3

$6.14 WST 16.85

-33.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$180

$16.12 WST 44.23

-35.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.91

$1.76 WST 4.84

-2.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.99

$3.61 WST 9.90

-28.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

$3.51 WST 9.63

-85.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$57.0

$5.27 WST 14.46

-38.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.52

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.7

$21.63 WST 59.4

-84.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.84

$1.06 WST 2.91

23.58%

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

$30.3K MX$528.9K

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

$23.4K MX$409.3K

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

$82.9 MX$1,448

$17.78 WST 48.78

366.09%

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

$22.22 MX$388

$17.72 WST 48.63

25.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$513

$36.31 WST 99.6

-19.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$902

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$88.5

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

$201 MX$3,508

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$91.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$645

$50.2 WST 138

-26.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$695

$40.75 WST 112

-2.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,370

$74.0 WST 203

6.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,521

$102 WST 279

-14.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$17.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,171

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.3K

$1,849 WST 5,073

-33.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.6K

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 Apia: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $35.00 in Apia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $234 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 30% 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 $1,945 in Playa del Carmen and $1,498 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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $999 in Apia – a 30% 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 $999 in Apia versus $1,297 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 $999 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 30% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.