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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $971 in Apia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,534 in Apia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,097 in Apia.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Apia 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$53.0 WST 146

-77.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$35.35 WST 97.2

18.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$13.72 WST 37.74

-23.40%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$2.46 WST 6.78

45.93%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$2.04 WST 5.60

-25.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$1.31 WST 3.62

-29.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$4.20 WST 11.56

-29.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$3.46 WST 9.52

27.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.84 WST 5.05

-23.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$0.79 WST 2.16

137.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.82 WST 5.00

-14.29%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$4.26 WST 11.72

-38.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$0.93 WST 2.55

794.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$3.51 WST 9.66

137.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$8.10 WST 22.27

34.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$5.09 WST 13.99

-46.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.84 WST 5.05

-17.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$1.83 WST 5.04

2.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$4.39 WST 12.07

-50.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$3.62 WST 9.96

-48.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$1.04 WST 2.87

114.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$1.19 WST 3.28

-8.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$6.06 WST 16.66

-30.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$16.39 WST 45.06

-36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.81 WST 4.99

-8.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$3.54 WST 9.75

-26.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$3.66 WST 10.07

-85.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$5.38 WST 14.81

-42.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$21.59 WST 59.4

-85.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.04 WST 2.86

25.96%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$17.60 WST 48.39

361.82%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$17.76 WST 48.85

27.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$35.95 WST 98.9

-16.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

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

$201 MX$3,502

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$50.0 WST 138

-28.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$39.48 WST 109

1.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$76.1 WST 209

4.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$99.7 WST 274

-13.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$1,855 WST 5,102

-35.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

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 27, 2026

Last update for Apia: July 25, 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 $252 vs $237 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 $1,890 in Playa del Carmen and $1,456 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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $971 in Apia – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $971 in Apia versus $1,260 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 $971 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.