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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $872 in Matagalpa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,296 in Matagalpa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,721 in Matagalpa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 48% more than Matagalpa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Matagalpa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Matagalpa 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$4.84 NIO 177

142.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$25.34 NIO 928

64.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$6.88 NIO 252

51.31%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$2.33 NIO 85.5

54.94%

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

$1.46 MX$25.07

$0.84 NIO 30.72

73.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.47 NIO 17.11

106.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$1.17 NIO 42.73

149.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.6

$2.05 NIO 75.0

125.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.16 NIO 42.33

23.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.72

$1.54 NIO 56.3

23.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.96

$1.57 NIO 57.5

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.36

$2.16 NIO 79.2

22.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$1.97 NIO 72.0

328.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$4.09 NIO 150

109.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$6.80 NIO 249

61.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.52

$3.78 NIO 139

-28.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.93

$0.85 NIO 31.05

77.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.95

$1.81 NIO 66.4

5.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.39

$2.25 NIO 82.2

-3.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.27

$1.07 NIO 39.15

74.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.44

$2.20 NIO 80.5

1.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.61

$0.67 NIO 24.40

61.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$1.02 NIO 37.37

4.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$2.65 NIO 97.0

56.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$10.08 NIO 369

2.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.96

$1.24 NIO 45.46

35.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.60

$2.16 NIO 79.2

17.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.48 NIO 17.61

14.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.1

$0.90 NIO 32.90

255.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.38

$0.92 NIO 33.87

167.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.1

$6.86 NIO 251

-53.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.30 NIO 47.61

1.54%

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

$30.2K MX$519.0K

$23.3K NIO 852.5K

29.54%

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

$23.4K MX$402.7K

$26.5K NIO 969.9K

-11.66%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$52.1 NIO 1,906

56.29%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$16.84 NIO 617

33.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$36.01 NIO 1,319

-16.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$7.97 NIO 292

-35.26%

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

$202 MX$3,473

$101 NIO 3,687

100.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$5,913 NIO 216.5K

-10.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$78.8 NIO 2,885

-54.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$72.3 NIO 2,647

-44.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$131 NIO 4,804

-40.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$106 NIO 3,896

-18.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.4K

$152 NIO 5,572

524.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,230

$266 NIO 9,724

80.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$549 NIO 20.1K

195.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$370 NIO 13.5K

230.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$101 NIO 3,710

564.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.25

11.41%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Matagalpa: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $152 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 564% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Matagalpa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $184 – 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: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, $872 in Matagalpa – roughly 48% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,307 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 $42.00 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 38% 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 $872, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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 $872 in Matagalpa to $1,294 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.