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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $172 in Maiduguri.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $292 in Maiduguri.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Playa del Carmen versus $412 in Maiduguri.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 654% more expensive than in Maiduguri, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Maiduguri 88% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$0.53 ₦706

2109.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$3.79 ₦4,999

1129.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$1.90 ₦2,508

513.16%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$0.93 ₦1,223

339.78%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$0.22 ₦291

522.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.19 ₦255

336.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$1.03 ₦1,355

119.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$1.96 ₦2,590

-9.69%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$1.85 ₦2,437

47.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$4.88 ₦6,449

82.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$4.04 ₦5,334

211.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$3.93 ₦5,188

-23.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$0.99 ₦1,302

128.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$1.52 ₦2,002

31.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$1.02 ₦1,343

101.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$0.42 ₦551

180.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.29 ₦378

313.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$0.35 ₦467

62.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$0.27 ₦360

474.07%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

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

$25.04 MX$423

$7.83 ₦10.3K

219.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$8.11 ₦10.7K

256.60%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

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

$225 MX$3,803

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$19.91 ₦26.3K

138.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$18.28 ₦24.1K

146.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$25.39 ₦33.5K

222.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$25.12 ₦33.2K

266.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Maiduguri: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $4.00 in Maiduguri for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $98.0 per month, with Maiduguri 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 Maiduguri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maiduguri is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 654% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,940 in Playa del Carmen and $257 in Maiduguri to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 182% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Maiduguri – a meal for two runs $4.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $172 in Maiduguri versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Maiduguri but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Maiduguri the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Maiduguri 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.

Expats usually find Maiduguri gentler on the wallet – expenses run 654% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.