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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $990 in Maglaj, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,502 in Maglaj, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,014 in Maglaj, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 32% more than Maglaj, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Maglaj are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Maglaj 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$202

$7.16 BAM 12.03

67.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$800

$39.10 BAM 65.7

21.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$198

$7.23 BAM 12.14

62.52%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$69.6

$1.69 BAM 2.83

143.79%

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

$1.40 MX$23.63

$1.91 BAM 3.21

-26.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.40

$1.25 BAM 2.10

-27.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.1

$2.32 BAM 3.90

38.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$119

$2.33 BAM 3.91

203.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.31

$1.44 BAM 2.42

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.31

$1.00 BAM 1.67

115.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.96

$1.76 BAM 2.96

0.57%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.54

$2.89 BAM 4.85

-2.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$155

$7.55 BAM 12.68

21.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$156

$7.30 BAM 12.25

26.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$213

$10.02 BAM 16.82

26.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$49.83

$1.21 BAM 2.03

143.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.66

$1.74 BAM 2.93

-9.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.53

$1.82 BAM 3.05

21.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$39.90

$1.74 BAM 2.93

35.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.65

$1.17 BAM 1.97

70.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.42

$1.17 BAM 1.96

69.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$20.94

$0.92 BAM 1.55

34.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.46

$0.90 BAM 1.52

34.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$77.7

$3.60 BAM 6.04

27.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$7.25 BAM 12.17

45.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.56

$1.22 BAM 2.05

38.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$46.84

$1.16 BAM 1.95

138.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.17

$1.37 BAM 2.30

-56.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$502

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.4

$1.83 BAM 3.08

186.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.6

$1.05 BAM 1.76

247.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.7

$10.57 BAM 17.76

-45.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$25.97

$1.47 BAM 2.47

4.76%

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

$22.8K MX$385.0K

$31.8K BAM 53.4K

-28.33%

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

$25.8K MX$435.8K

$22.5K BAM 37.8K

14.72%

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

$90.7 MX$1,531

$121 BAM 203

-25.04%

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

$25.19 MX$425

$18.90 BAM 31.74

33.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$536

$28.81 BAM 48.39

10.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,162

$33.96 BAM 57.0

102.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$496

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.1

$4.69 BAM 7.88

3.62%

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

$226 MX$3,811

$153 BAM 257

47.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$70.8K

$3,940 BAM 6,617

6.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$800

$114 BAM 191

-58.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$734

$35.89 BAM 60.3

21.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,355

$100 BAM 168

-19.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,543

$118 BAM 198

-22.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.3K

$358 BAM 601

203.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,900

$259 BAM 434

58.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.3K

$531 BAM 892

271.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.6K

$382 BAM 642

235.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.3K

$2,506 BAM 4,208

61.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.2K

$1,807 BAM 3,035

271.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$780 BAM 1,310

-0.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.3

166.28%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Maglaj: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $358 in Maglaj. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1% higher in Maglaj, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $39.00 in Maglaj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $208 – making Maglaj 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 Maglaj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, $990 in Maglaj – roughly 32% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,485 in Maglaj. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Maglaj, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $39.00 in Maglaj. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Maglaj, where all-in costs run around $990, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Maglaj 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 $990 in Maglaj to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Maglaj. 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.