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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $811 in Matagalpa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,228 in Matagalpa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,645 in Matagalpa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 56% more than Matagalpa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Matagalpa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Matagalpa 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$6.93 NIO 254

67.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$25.35 NIO 928

85.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.48 NIO 274

58.82%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.52 NIO 92.2

57.94%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.85 NIO 31.24

68.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.43 NIO 15.72

90.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.23 NIO 45.20

159.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.03 NIO 74.2

234.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.21 NIO 44.43

38.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.23 NIO 45.08

78.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.71 NIO 62.7

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.36 NIO 86.6

16.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$2.70 NIO 98.9

254.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.24 NIO 155

112.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$6.76 NIO 248

89.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.67 NIO 134

-21.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.63 NIO 22.91

138.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.83 NIO 67.2

17.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$2.24 NIO 82.2

0.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$3.94 NIO 144

-49.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.17 NIO 79.3

-8.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.00 NIO 36.64

23.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.07 NIO 39.06

12.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$2.60 NIO 95.1

75.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$10.08 NIO 369

2.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.20 NIO 43.94

35.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.35 NIO 86.0

22.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.23 NIO 8.35

160.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.13 NIO 41.42

376.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.23 NIO 44.88

203.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$6.74 NIO 247

-14.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.32 NIO 48.26

16.67%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$23.2K NIO 849.4K

-2.77%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$26.7K NIO 976.6K

-2.29%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$59.4 NIO 2,174

53.92%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$17.10 NIO 626

47.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$37.40 NIO 1,370

-16.47%

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

$8.65 NIO 317

-43.82%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$233 NIO 8,523

-3.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$6,129 NIO 224.5K

-31.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$71.7 NIO 2,625

-34.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$72.8 NIO 2,664

-39.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$132 NIO 4,819

-39.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$107 NIO 3,930

-13.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$204 NIO 7,459

421.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$175 NIO 6,424

122.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$295 NIO 10.8K

629.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$248 NIO 9,087

412.73%

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

$199 NIO 7,295

280.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

10.25

11.71%

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 Matagalpa: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $204 in Matagalpa. 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 281% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Matagalpa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $195 – making Matagalpa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Matagalpa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, $811 in Matagalpa – roughly 56% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,217 in Matagalpa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $25.00 in Matagalpa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Matagalpa, where all-in costs run around $811, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Matagalpa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $811 in Matagalpa to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Matagalpa. 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.