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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $387 in Manakara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $590 in Manakara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $794 in Manakara, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 224% more than Manakara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Manakara are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Manakara 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$2.19 MGA 9,379

447.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$14.83 MGA 63.6K

181.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$3.56 MGA 15.3K

201.97%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.15 MGA 4,937

204.35%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.58 MGA 2,478

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.58 MGA 2,488

51.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.15 MGA 4,922

156.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$1.47 MGA 6,288

206.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.73 MGA 7,415

-17.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.01 MGA 4,353

82.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$0.68 MGA 2,912

130.88%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.31 MGA 9,911

8.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$6.46 MGA 27.7K

28.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.37 MGA 14.4K

150.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$3.65 MGA 15.7K

192.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.02 MGA 4,361

155.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$0.69 MGA 2,957

108.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$0.35 MGA 1,490

460.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.68 MGA 2,921

207.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.55 MGA 2,353

236.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.76 MGA 3,279

185.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.34 MGA 1,480

202.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.65 MGA 2,794

64.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$1.41 MGA 6,066

190.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$4.78 MGA 20.5K

112.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.04 MGA 4,450

61.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.24 MGA 5,339

104.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.21 MGA 901

142.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$17.57 MGA 75.4K

48.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.08 MGA 4,638

199.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$2.15 MGA 9,219

12.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$3.27 MGA 14.0K

-1.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.13 MGA 4,862

16.81%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$15.8K MGA 67.6M

88.52%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$20.3K MGA 87.2M

16.40%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$42.54 MGA 182.5K

92.78%

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

$22.95 MX$400

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$54.1 MGA 232.2K

-44.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$11.46 MGA 49.2K

353.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

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

$197 MX$3,438

$22.28 MGA 95.6K

786.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$16.21 MGA 69.5K

119.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$20.29 MGA 87.1K

98.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$45.92 MGA 197.0K

71.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$44.81 MGA 192.3K

98.46%

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

$123 MGA 527.4K

432.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-52.42%

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 Manakara: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 432% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $15.00 in Manakara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $130 – 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 224%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $581 in Manakara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $22.28 in Manakara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 91% 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 $387, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.