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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $410 in Manakara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $629 in Manakara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $848 in Manakara, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 218% more than Manakara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Manakara are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Manakara 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$2.26 MGA 9,807

429.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$805

$15.04 MGA 65.2K

215.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$200

$3.67 MGA 15.9K

220.16%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.1

$1.26 MGA 5,478

226.98%

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

$1.40 MX$23.78

$0.59 MGA 2,552

137.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.50

$0.60 MGA 2,598

51.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.5

$1.25 MGA 5,424

156.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$1.52 MGA 6,568

365.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.49

$1.89 MGA 8,201

-11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.53

$1.06 MGA 4,600

102.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.14

$0.70 MGA 3,050

152.86%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.83

$2.35 MGA 10.2K

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$6.90 MGA 29.9K

33.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$3.60 MGA 15.6K

156.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$215

$3.60 MGA 15.6K

251.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.00 MGA 4,321

195.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.83

$0.75 MGA 3,241

110.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.76

$0.36 MGA 1,566

516.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.15

$0.75 MGA 3,270

214.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.86

$0.62 MGA 2,673

220.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.63

$0.79 MGA 3,403

150.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.07

$0.34 MGA 1,472

264.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.58

$0.72 MGA 3,101

68.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.2

$1.47 MGA 6,348

212.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$179

$4.70 MGA 20.4K

123.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.74

$1.12 MGA 4,869

50.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.13

$1.34 MGA 5,824

106.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.24

$0.22 MGA 953

172.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$505

$36.40 MGA 157.7K

-18.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$89.0

$1.17 MGA 5,083

347.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$62.0

$2.36 MGA 10.2K

54.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.3

$3.55 MGA 15.4K

62.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.13

$1.19 MGA 5,172

29.41%

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

$22.8K MX$387.4K

$16.1K MGA 69.9M

41.37%

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

$25.8K MX$438.5K

$21.5K MGA 93.1M

20.12%

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

$90.7 MX$1,540

$44.88 MGA 194.4K

102.03%

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

$25.19 MX$428

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$55.8 MGA 242.0K

-43.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,169

$12.07 MGA 52.3K

469.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$499

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.6

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

$226 MX$3,834

$22.71 MGA 98.4K

893.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$805

$17.15 MGA 74.3K

176.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$738

$21.34 MGA 92.5K

103.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,363

$48.43 MGA 209.9K

65.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,552

$46.11 MGA 199.8K

98.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,943

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$120 MGA 521.5K

542.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-52.29%

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 Manakara: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 542% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $15.00 in Manakara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $137 – making Manakara 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 Manakara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 218%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $615 in Manakara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $22.71 in Manakara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 103% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Manakara, where all-in costs run around $410, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Manakara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Manakara – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Manakara. 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.