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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $712 in Fiji.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,191 in Fiji.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,670 in Fiji.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 82% more expensive than Fiji, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Fiji 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.44 FJD 9.71

164.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$45.29 FJD 99.2

-8.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.81 FJD 17.10

36.24%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$2.26 FJD 4.96

55.75%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.36 FJD 2.97

11.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$1.19 FJD 2.61

-18.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.95 FJD 6.46

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$3.30 FJD 7.22

34.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.28 FJD 2.81

7.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.69 FJD 1.52

173.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.52 FJD 3.34

7.89%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.22 FJD 4.86

13.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$10.61 FJD 23.23

-21.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$3.67 FJD 8.03

127.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$2.28 FJD 4.98

370.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.76 FJD 3.85

47.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.53 FJD 3.36

-4.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$2.04 FJD 4.47

-6.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.73 FJD 3.80

20.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.49 FJD 3.25

19.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.42 FJD 3.11

54.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.94 FJD 2.05

10.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.80 FJD 1.75

35.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$11.01 FJD 24.11

-62.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$6.47 FJD 14.17

59.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$2.80 FJD 6.12

-38.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.46 FJD 5.40

4.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.91 FJD 1.98

-43.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$1.10 FJD 2.41

196.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.31 FJD 2.87

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$45.5K FJD 99.6K

-33.40%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$53.0 FJD 116

56.27%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$13.41 FJD 29.37

65.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$17.60 FJD 38.54

66.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$21.99 FJD 48.17

134.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$4.50 FJD 9.85

307.11%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$3.99 FJD 8.75

27.07%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$44.29 FJD 97.0

353.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$8.39 FJD 18.38

340.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$29.43 FJD 64.5

166.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$666 FJD 1,459

46.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$269 FJD 590

73.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,104 FJD 2,418

48.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$607 FJD 1,329

101.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$1,298 FJD 2,842

204.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$1,344 FJD 2,943

383.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$548 FJD 1,201

21.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

90.33%

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 Fiji: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $666 in Fiji. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 21% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $45.00 in Fiji. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $179, with Fiji cheaper for home cooking.

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 Fiji: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fiji is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 82% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 21% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $666 in Fiji. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $712 in Fiji – a 82% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $712 in Fiji versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Fiji but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Fiji the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Fiji 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 Fiji 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 Fiji gentler on the wallet – expenses run 82% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.