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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $713 in Fiji.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,157 in Fiji.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,602 in Fiji.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 78% more expensive than in Fiji, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Fiji 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$4.43 FJD 9.85

161.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$33.29 FJD 74.0

41.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$6.52 FJD 14.49

82.21%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$2.51 FJD 5.58

58.57%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$1.43 FJD 3.17

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$1.01 FJD 2.24

-18.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$3.94 FJD 8.76

-19.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$4.07 FJD 9.04

66.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$1.23 FJD 2.73

36.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$0.24 FJD 0.53

816.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$0.92 FJD 2.05

85.87%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$3.19 FJD 7.10

-14.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$10.75 FJD 23.89

-10.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.56 FJD 12.35

62.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$1.36 FJD 3.03

112.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$0.92 FJD 2.04

63.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$1.85 FJD 4.12

16.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$1.34 FJD 2.97

68.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$0.70 FJD 1.55

182.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$0.70 FJD 1.57

184.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$0.87 FJD 1.94

41.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$0.51 FJD 1.14

135.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$11.20 FJD 24.88

-59.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$6.44 FJD 14.31

61.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$3.95 FJD 8.77

-58.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$4.15 FJD 9.23

-30.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$0.87 FJD 1.93

-31.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$1.11 FJD 2.46

385.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$1.29 FJD 2.87

19.38%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$46.3K FJD 102.9K

-51.29%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$53.2 FJD 118

71.64%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$13.56 FJD 30.13

85.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$18.32 FJD 40.70

70.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$22.53 FJD 50.1

198.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

$4.62 FJD 10.28

530.09%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$4.00 FJD 8.88

21.50%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$45.77 FJD 102

388.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$19.87 FJD 44.14

137.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$29.93 FJD 66.5

167.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$688 FJD 1,528

54.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$273 FJD 606

43.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$1,132 FJD 2,515

89.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$616 FJD 1,370

106.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

$1,306 FJD 2,901

206.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

$1,315 FJD 2,921

394.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$546 FJD 1,213

38.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

90.83%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Fiji: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $688 in Fiji. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 39% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $33.00 in Fiji for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $172 per month, with Fiji 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 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 78% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 39% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $688 in Fiji. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 61% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $713 in Fiji – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $713 in Fiji versus $1,266 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 78% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.