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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $907 in Manta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,515 in Manta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,123 in Manta.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 38% more expensive than in Manta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Manta 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$3.45 $3.45

247.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$45.60 $45.60

-8.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$7.20 $7.20

49.31%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.49 $2.49

40.56%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.86 $0.86

68.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.62 $0.62

41.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.79 $1.79

64.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.97 $2.97

51.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.08 $1.08

32.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.76 $1.76

4.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.71 $1.71

-8.19%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.48 $2.48

1.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$5.97 $5.97

38.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$5.15 $5.15

63.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$6.35 $6.35

68.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.10 $2.10

24.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.05 $1.05

37.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.06 $1.06

84.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.05 $1.05

99.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.01 $1.01

83.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.39 $1.39

56.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.74 $0.74

39.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.99 $0.99

8.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$6.04 $6.04

-32.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$6.87 $6.87

48.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.52 $1.52

10.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.05 $2.05

23.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.36 $0.36

41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$24.28 $24.28

7.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.72 $1.72

87.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.97 $1.97

22.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$9.78 $9.78

-66.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.67 $0.67

97.01%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$19.7K $19.7K

50.69%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$24.4K $24.4K

-2.95%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$37.03 $37.03

121.47%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$12.08 $12.08

89.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$31.30 $31.30

-3.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$39.29 $39.29

32.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$14.52 $14.52

27.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$7.06 $7.06

-29.46%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$232 $232

-14.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$5,910 $5,910

-9.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$51.4 $51.4

-30.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$42.77 $42.77

-5.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$104 $104

-24.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$90.1 $90.1

-1.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$460 $460

105.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$339 $339

39.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$480 $480

242.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$767 $767

57.87%

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

$475 $475

37.78%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Manta: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $460 in Manta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 38% 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 $46.00 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 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 38% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $460 in Manta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $232 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 $907 in Manta versus $1,256 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 38% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.