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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $190 in Maiduguri.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $344 in Maiduguri.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $499 in Maiduguri.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 560% more expensive than in Maiduguri, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Maiduguri 86% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$1.51 ₦2,082

694.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$12.04 ₦16.6K

247.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$2.76 ₦3,801

289.49%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.31 ₦1,805

167.18%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.34 ₦470

326.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.29 ₦402

203.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.02 ₦1,402

80.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$2.04 ₦2,800

-23.04%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.83 ₦2,515

37.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.86 ₦6,685

73.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$4.02 ₦5,531

165.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$4.07 ₦5,601

-35.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.02 ₦1,408

104.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.51 ₦2,084

22.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.02 ₦1,396

112.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.38 ₦527

171.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.31 ₦427

245.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.52 ₦722

-1.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.39 ₦540

238.46%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

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

$22.95 MX$400

$7.79 ₦10.7K

194.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$8.20 ₦11.3K

125.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

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

$197 MX$3,438

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$20.35 ₦28.0K

74.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$17.91 ₦24.6K

125.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$25.28 ₦34.8K

211.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$25.36 ₦34.9K

250.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Maiduguri: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $12.00 in Maiduguri for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $99.0 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 560% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,884 in Playa del Carmen and $286 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 150% 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 $12.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $190 in Maiduguri versus $1,256 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 560% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.