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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $694 in Fiji.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,182 in Fiji.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,670 in Fiji.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 81% more expensive than in Fiji, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Fiji 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$4.54 FJD 10.15

164.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$44.27 FJD 99.1

-5.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$7.66 FJD 17.15

40.34%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$2.28 FJD 5.10

53.51%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$1.35 FJD 3.01

7.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$1.15 FJD 2.58

-23.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$2.81 FJD 6.30

4.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$3.38 FJD 7.57

33.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.28 FJD 2.86

11.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.65 FJD 1.46

183.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.51 FJD 3.38

3.97%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$2.22 FJD 4.97

13.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$10.80 FJD 24.17

-23.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$3.75 FJD 8.39

124.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$2.27 FJD 5.08

370.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$1.74 FJD 3.88

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.51 FJD 3.37

-4.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$2.05 FJD 4.59

-4.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$1.81 FJD 4.06

15.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$1.42 FJD 3.18

30.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$1.50 FJD 3.36

44.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.97 FJD 2.17

6.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.74 FJD 1.65

44.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$11.32 FJD 25.34

-63.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$6.38 FJD 14.28

59.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$2.76 FJD 6.18

-39.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$2.44 FJD 5.47

3.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.86 FJD 1.91

-40.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$1.08 FJD 2.41

199.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.27 FJD 2.83

3.94%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$46.0K FJD 103.0K

-35.46%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$53.7 FJD 120

52.78%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$13.46 FJD 30.12

70.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$17.50 FJD 39.17

72.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$22.24 FJD 49.77

133.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$4.52 FJD 10.12

309.96%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$3.90 FJD 8.74

27.69%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$44.36 FJD 99.3

345.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$8.23 FJD 18.41

332.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$29.55 FJD 66.1

166.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$680 FJD 1,522

39.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$262 FJD 587

80.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$1,101 FJD 2,465

49.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$598 FJD 1,339

102.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$1,285 FJD 2,876

215.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$1,327 FJD 2,969

387.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$540 FJD 1,209

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Fiji: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $680 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 $44.00 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 81% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 21% 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $680 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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $694 in Fiji – a 81% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $694 in Fiji versus $1,256 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 81% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.