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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $867 in Masterton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,478 in Masterton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,089 in Masterton.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 46% more expensive than in Masterton, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Masterton 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$9.94 NZ$17.38

16.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$66.8 NZ$117

-29.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$8.59 NZ$15.01

38.30%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$3.30 NZ$5.77

20.61%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$2.07 NZ$3.62

-30.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$1.18 NZ$2.06

-30.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$3.94 NZ$6.89

-19.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.53 NZ$6.18

92.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.48 NZ$2.59

13.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.25 NZ$3.93

-2.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.07 NZ$1.87

59.81%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$6.32 NZ$11.04

-56.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$8.78 NZ$15.36

9.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$10.24 NZ$17.90

-12.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$15.78 NZ$27.59

-18.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.36 NZ$4.12

22.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.79 NZ$3.12

-16.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$3.16 NZ$5.53

-31.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$4.70 NZ$8.21

-51.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.55 NZ$2.71

27.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.16 NZ$2.02

71.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.78 NZ$3.11

-30.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.50 NZ$0.87

140.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$19.84 NZ$34.69

-77.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$11.37 NZ$19.87

-8.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$0.90 NZ$1.57

80.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.19 NZ$2.08

142.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$2.36 NZ$4.12

-74.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.87 NZ$3.26

188.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.81 NZ$3.16

106.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$34.33 NZ$60.0

-83.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.74 NZ$3.04

-11.49%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$23.4K NZ$41.0K

-3.74%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$25.5K NZ$44.5K

2.35%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$57.7 NZ$101

58.29%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$31.00 NZ$54.2

-18.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$54.6 NZ$95.4

-42.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$43.22 NZ$75.6

55.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$8.33 NZ$14.56

249.46%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$9.70 NZ$16.96

-49.90%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$1,069 NZ$1,869

-79.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$13.3K NZ$23.3K

-68.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$57.0 NZ$99.6

-17.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$28.98 NZ$50.7

52.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$104 NZ$183

-23.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$142 NZ$248

-34.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,032 NZ$1,804

108.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

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

$2,429 NZ$4,247

-68.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.39

112.43%

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 Masterton: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Masterton pays 220% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $67.0 in Masterton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $300 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 Masterton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Masterton is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 220% lower in Masterton. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $867 in Masterton – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $867 in Masterton versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Masterton but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Masterton the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Masterton 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.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Masterton 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 Masterton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.