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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,041 in Mamaia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,579 in Mamaia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,116 in Mamaia, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 21% more than Mamaia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Mamaia are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Mamaia 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$9.74 RON 44.70

23.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$45.70 RON 210

-8.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$7.69 RON 35.28

39.79%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.59 RON 11.90

35.14%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.92 RON 8.82

-24.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.78 RON 8.16

-50.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.24 RON 10.28

31.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.71 RON 12.44

66.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.46 RON 6.70

-2.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.26 RON 5.76

46.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.61 RON 7.40

-2.48%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$3.31 RON 15.19

-24.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$8.21 RON 37.70

0.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.76 RON 31.01

24.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$9.76 RON 44.81

9.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.19 RON 5.46

119.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.59 RON 7.32

-9.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.59 RON 7.30

23.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.23 RON 10.22

-6.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.82 RON 3.77

125.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.93 RON 4.27

133.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.88 RON 4.04

17.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.84 RON 3.86

27.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$6.00 RON 27.55

-31.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$6.36 RON 29.18

59.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.03 RON 4.71

63.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.69 RON 7.76

49.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.67 RON 3.07

-23.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$19.64 RON 90.1

32.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.76 RON 3.49

325.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.76 RON 3.51

217.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$6.89 RON 31.63

-53.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.57 RON 7.20

-15.92%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$27.6K RON 126.5K

7.77%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$27.6K RON 126.8K

-14.35%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$145 RON 667

-43.55%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$8.01 RON 36.76

186.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$9.02 RON 41.40

233.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$41.95 RON 193

23.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$19.27 RON 88.5

-3.84%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$7.08 RON 32.49

-29.66%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$422 RON 1,937

-53.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$7,022 RON 32.2K

-24.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$69.2 RON 317

-48.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$39.48 RON 181

2.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$75.5 RON 347

4.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$93.7 RON 430

-5.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$394 RON 1,811

140.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$294 RON 1,351

61.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$577 RON 2,648

184.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$430 RON 1,972

181.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,914 RON 8,785

111.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,494 RON 6,856

333.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.5

75.69%

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 Mamaia: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $394 in Mamaia. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $46.00 in Mamaia. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $207 in Mamaia – so Mamaia wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Mamaia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, $1,041 in Mamaia – roughly 21% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,561 in Mamaia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 33% less in Mamaia. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $422 in Mamaia. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mamaia, where all-in costs run around $1,041, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Mamaia 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 $1,041 in Mamaia to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Mamaia. 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.