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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $918 in Maglaj, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,417 in Maglaj, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,916 in Maglaj, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 41% more than Maglaj, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Maglaj are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Maglaj 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$6.94 BAM 11.65

69.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$34.95 BAM 58.7

19.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.68 BAM 9.54

87.32%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.74 BAM 2.93

102.30%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.85 BAM 3.11

-18.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.16 BAM 1.94

-16.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.38 BAM 4.00

23.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.11 BAM 3.54

110.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.35 BAM 2.27

2.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.01 BAM 1.70

87.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.79 BAM 3.00

-8.38%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.86 BAM 4.80

-12.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.52 BAM 12.63

10.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.11 BAM 11.94

17.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$9.84 BAM 16.53

9.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.20 BAM 2.02

116.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.68 BAM 2.83

-13.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.75 BAM 2.93

8.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.81 BAM 3.04

14.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.17 BAM 1.96

52.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.20 BAM 2.02

82.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.98 BAM 1.64

6.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.90 BAM 1.52

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.44 BAM 5.79

18.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$7.24 BAM 12.17

42.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.20 BAM 2.02

42.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.15 BAM 1.93

124.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.85 BAM 3.11

-72.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$35.43 BAM 59.5

-25.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.75 BAM 2.95

86.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.16 BAM 1.95

114.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$10.81 BAM 18.16

-69.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.49 BAM 2.51

-12.08%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$23.9K BAM 40.2K

26.46%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$25.8K BAM 43.4K

-9.31%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$123 BAM 206

-32.55%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$18.70 BAM 31.42

18.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$28.79 BAM 48.36

1.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$29.57 BAM 49.69

74.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$10.82 BAM 18.18

69.32%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$4.60 BAM 7.73

10.22%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$152 BAM 256

31.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$3,316 BAM 5,571

57.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$70.5 BAM 118

-47.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$35.67 BAM 59.9

11.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$99.8 BAM 168

-21.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$119 BAM 200

-26.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$257 BAM 432

278.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$169 BAM 285

175.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$370 BAM 622

343.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$314 BAM 527

289.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,591 BAM 4,354

52.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,813 BAM 3,046

258.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$772 BAM 1,297

-13.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.14

175.85%

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 Maglaj: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $257 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 16% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $35.00 in Maglaj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $205 – 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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $918 in Maglaj – roughly 41% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,377 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.

Groceries cost about 21% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $35.00 in Maglaj. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Maglaj, where all-in costs run around $918, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $918 in Maglaj to $1,297 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.