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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $349 in Manzini, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $526 in Manzini, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $703 in Manzini, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 263% more than Manzini, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Manzini are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Manzini 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.24 SZL 20.25

35.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.93 SZL 15.23

136.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.79 SZL 29.37

-4.47%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.15 SZL 18.75

138.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$7.37 SZL 121

29.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.14 SZL 51.4

186.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$1.80 SZL 29.45

611.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.40 SZL 22.88

106.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.63 SZL 10.39

138.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$0.84 SZL 13.69

155.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$0.47 SZL 7.72

380.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.63 SZL 10.33

214.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.47 SZL 7.72

323.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.41 SZL 6.78

200.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.67 SZL 10.93

79.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$3.13 SZL 51.2

45.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$3.38 SZL 55.4

206.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$0.65 SZL 10.63

149.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$0.82 SZL 13.38

251.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.61 SZL 9.96

-1.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.31 SZL 21.49

17.56%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$17.4K SZL 284.2K

29.85%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$15.9K SZL 259.8K

64.13%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$72.5 SZL 1,187

26.02%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$12.16 SZL 199

107.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$30.84 SZL 505

1.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$3.61 SZL 59.0

34.63%

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

$224 MX$3,856

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$169 SZL 2,769

527.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$108 SZL 1,773

260.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$363 SZL 5,934

492.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$280 SZL 4,589

353.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$407 SZL 6,661

86.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

14.50%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Manzini: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $169 in Manzini. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 86% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

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 Manzini: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 263% more than Manzini, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $523 in Manzini. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $349 in Manzini. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 135% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Manzini, where all-in costs run around $349, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Manzini it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Manzini costs $349 versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Manzini. 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.