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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $923 in Manta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,527 in Manta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,130 in Manta.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 40% more expensive than Manta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Manta 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.53 $3.53

232.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$45.23 $45.23

-7.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.04 $7.04

51.14%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.37 $2.37

48.52%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.89 $0.89

69.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.65 $0.65

49.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.76 $1.76

67.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.96 $2.96

50.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.14 $1.14

21.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.69 $1.69

11.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.64 $1.64

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.46 $2.46

2.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.98 $5.98

39.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.31 $5.31

57.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$6.19 $6.19

73.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.13 $2.13

22.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.05 $1.05

39.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.05 $1.05

80.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.03 $1.03

101.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.02 $1.02

74.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.39 $1.39

57.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.73 $0.73

42.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.98 $0.98

10.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$6.02 $6.02

-32.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$6.99 $6.99

47.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.53 $1.53

11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.99 $1.99

29.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.36 $0.36

41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$24.41 $24.41

8.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.70 $1.70

91.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.96 $1.96

27.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$9.56 $9.56

-66.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.67 $0.67

95.52%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$19.6K $19.6K

54.40%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$24.4K $24.4K

-3.88%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$37.16 $37.16

123.01%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$11.77 $11.77

88.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$32.50 $32.50

-9.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$40.12 $40.12

28.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$14.59 $14.59

25.57%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$7.14 $7.14

-28.99%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$238 $238

-15.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$5,815 $5,815

-10.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$51.5 $51.5

-28.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$43.98 $43.98

-9.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$103 $103

-23.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$89.4 $89.4

-2.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$458 $458

112.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$334 $334

40.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$468 $468

250.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$745 $745

63.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$487 $487

36.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.35

22.14%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Manta: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $458 in Manta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 36% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $45.00 in Manta. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $180, with Manta cheaper for home cooking.

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 Manta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manta is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 36% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $458 in Manta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $238 in Manta. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $923 in Manta versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Manta but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Manta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Manta 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 Manta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.