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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,262 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,728 in Massa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,158 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,680 in Massa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,054 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,632 in Massa.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 27% less than in Massa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Massa is 28% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.61 MX$201

$17.39 €14.80

-33.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$742

$76.3 €64.9

-43.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 MX$184

$10.88 €9.26

-2.57%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.3

$2.13 €1.81

68.54%

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

$1.45 MX$25.21

$2.36 €2.01

-38.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.58

$1.17 €1.00

-23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$4.60 €3.92

-34.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 MX$79.2

$5.82 €4.95

-21.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$25.20

$1.62 €1.38

-10.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.72

$2.66 €2.27

-31.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.92

$2.76 €2.35

-41.67%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.05

$5.04 €4.29

-49.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 MX$148

$21.28 €18.11

-59.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 MX$147

$13.44 €11.43

-36.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$18.02 €15.33

-39.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.37

$2.48 €2.11

10.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.91

$2.14 €1.82

-30.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 MX$33.73

$2.00 €1.70

-3.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.57

$2.92 €2.48

-26.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.05

$1.61 €1.37

14.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.00

$1.40 €1.19

56.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.62

$1.71 €1.46

-37.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.81

$0.65 €0.55

66.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 MX$70.5

$7.08 €6.02

-42.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 MX$182

$8.85 €7.54

18.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 MX$28.71

$1.70 €1.45

-2.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 MX$44.23

$1.85 €1.58

37.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.65

$1.76 €1.50

-68.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.20 MX$455

$43.85 €37.32

-40.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.5

$5.89 €5.01

-46.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 MX$41.17

$1.40 €1.19

69.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.2

$28.67 €24.40

-88.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.81

$2.10 €1.79

-37.62%

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

$30.5K MX$530.2K

$26.4K €22.4K

15.83%

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

$23.8K MX$413.6K

$34.9K €29.7K

-31.66%

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

$83.1 MX$1,443

$179 €153

-53.66%

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

$22.15 MX$385

$14.86 €12.64

49.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.37 MX$510

$29.92 €25.46

-1.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 MX$889

$54.5 €46.38

-6.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 MX$324

$23.46 €19.96

-20.33%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MX$84.9

$10.48 €8.92

-53.34%

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

$199 MX$3,449

$664 €565

-70.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,207 MX$90.4K

$4,639 €3,948

12.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$624

$92.1 €78.4

-61.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.39 MX$684

$43.88 €37.34

-10.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 MX$1,394

$95.9 €81.6

-16.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 MX$1,520

$172 €146

-48.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.7K

$757 €644

27.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 MX$8,370

$570 €485

-15.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,645 MX$28.6K

$1,228 €1,045

33.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 MX$20.7K

$926 €788

28.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,957 MX$68.7K

$3,034 €2,582

30.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,513 MX$113.1K

$2,094 €1,782

211.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 MX$12.6K

$1,741 €1,482

-58.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.83

136.44%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Last update for Massa: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $757 in Massa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Massa pays 140% 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: $43 in Playa del Carmen vs $76 in Massa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $253 vs $359 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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 Massa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Massa differ by about 37% in total monthly costs ($1,262 vs $1,728 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Massa earns 140% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $757 in Massa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $76.0 in Massa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,262 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,728 in Massa – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,262 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,728 in Massa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Massa. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Massa are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Massa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.