Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Lihir Island Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Lihir Island

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $232 in Lihir Island, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $427 in Lihir Island, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $622 in Lihir Island, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 447% more than Lihir Island, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Lihir Island are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Lihir Island 83% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$4.71 PGK 20.22

152.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$29.29 PGK 126

46.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$5.85 PGK 25.13

82.05%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.36 PGK 10.14

46.19%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.73 PGK 3.15

105.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.71 PGK 3.04

33.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$3.65 PGK 15.66

-16.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.35 PGK 10.08

96.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.66 PGK 7.13

-16.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.42 PGK 6.09

30.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.41 PGK 6.05

14.18%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.27 PGK 9.77

14.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$4.38 PGK 18.83

91.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$2.42 PGK 10.40

340.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.41 PGK 6.04

5.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$2.35 PGK 10.08

-20.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.92 PGK 3.94

145.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.46 PGK 1.96

136.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$6.01 PGK 25.83

-30.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.39 PGK 10.25

-28.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.38 PGK 10.22

9.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

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

$22.71 MX$390

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

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

$197 MX$3,386

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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 7, 2026

Last update for Lihir Island: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $29.00 in Lihir Island. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $114 – making Lihir Island the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Lihir Island: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, $232 in Lihir Island – roughly 447% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $349 in Lihir Island. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $29.00 in Lihir Island. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $232 in Lihir Island. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lihir Island, where all-in costs run around $232, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Lihir Island it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $232 in Lihir Island to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Lihir Island. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.