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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,024 in Matola, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,519 in Matola, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,014 in Matola, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 27% more than Matola, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Matola are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Matola 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$7.67 MZN 485

52.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$48.94 MZN 3,096

-14.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.60 MZN 481

40.00%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$1.60 MZN 101

120.00%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.75 MZN 47.55

101.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.58 MZN 36.59

67.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.19 MZN 75.2

147.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$1.60 MZN 101

178.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.57 MZN 99.2

-12.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.04 MZN 65.8

81.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.69 MZN 107

-2.96%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.92 MZN 122

30.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$13.03 MZN 824

-35.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$5.28 MZN 334

57.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$4.65 MZN 294

130.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.97 MZN 124

31.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$0.63 MZN 39.83

131.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.34 MZN 84.6

41.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$0.99 MZN 62.7

110.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.93 MZN 59.1

91.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.67 MZN 42.61

226.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.99 MZN 62.4

5.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.53 MZN 33.64

103.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$2.61 MZN 165

56.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$7.14 MZN 451

44.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$0.98 MZN 61.8

74.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.29 MZN 81.4

100.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$1.60 MZN 101

103.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$2.89 MZN 183

-13.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$24.44 MZN 1,546

-86.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.31 MZN 83.2

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$35.8K MZN 2.3M

-15.41%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$19.7K MZN 1.2M

18.90%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$38.50 MZN 2,435

115.25%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$14.16 MZN 895

56.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$79.6 MZN 5,031

-63.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$39.34 MZN 2,488

31.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$7.67 MZN 485

-33.90%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$185 MZN 11.7K

8.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$5,823 MZN 368.3K

-10.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$49.19 MZN 3,111

-24.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$62.7 MZN 3,967

-36.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$82.7 MZN 5,228

-5.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$80.4 MZN 5,086

8.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$475 MZN 30.1K

104.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$396 MZN 25.0K

18.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$794 MZN 50.2K

106.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$579 MZN 36.6K

110.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$310 MZN 19.6K

114.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

24.33

-53.06%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Matola: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $475 in Matola. 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 114% 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 $49.00 in Matola. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $180 in Matola – so Matola wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Matola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $1,024 in Matola – roughly 27% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,535 in Matola. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Matola, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,024 in Matola. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $185 in Matola. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Matola, where all-in costs run around $1,024, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Matola 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 $1,024 in Matola to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Matola. 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.