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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,017 in Matola, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,551 in Matola, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,084 in Matola, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 24% more than Matola, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Matola are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Matola 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$7.84 MZN 496

52.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$49.99 MZN 3,160

-16.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$7.63 MZN 482

40.89%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.59 MZN 100

120.13%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.82 MZN 51.8

76.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.53 MZN 33.81

66.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.15 MZN 73.0

156.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$1.54 MZN 97.1

192.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.60 MZN 101

-10.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.10 MZN 69.4

67.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.61 MZN 102

-2.48%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.91 MZN 121

31.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$13.52 MZN 855

-38.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$5.26 MZN 333

60.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$4.59 MZN 290

132.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.96 MZN 124

33.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$0.59 MZN 36.99

144.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.39 MZN 88.2

41.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.93 MZN 58.6

124.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.92 MZN 58.1

101.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.68 MZN 42.79

219.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.92 MZN 58.0

11.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.53 MZN 33.55

101.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$2.63 MZN 166

55.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$6.94 MZN 439

46.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$0.96 MZN 60.7

75.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.22 MZN 77.1

107.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.53 MZN 96.7

111.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$2.98 MZN 189

-19.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$24.32 MZN 1,538

-86.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.32 MZN 83.8

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$34.5K MZN 2.2M

-13.95%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$19.6K MZN 1.2M

20.44%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$39.61 MZN 2,504

107.04%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$14.23 MZN 900

61.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$78.0 MZN 4,928

-61.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$39.51 MZN 2,498

31.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$8.05 MZN 509

-38.14%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$180 MZN 11.4K

9.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$5,814 MZN 367.6K

-8.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$49.24 MZN 3,113

-27.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$61.0 MZN 3,856

-33.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$81.4 MZN 5,143

-3.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$80.4 MZN 5,080

10.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$474 MZN 29.9K

99.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$394 MZN 24.9K

20.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$782 MZN 49.5K

110.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$581 MZN 36.7K

108.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$317 MZN 20.1K

106.16%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Matola: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $474 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 106% 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 $50.0 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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, $1,017 in Matola – roughly 24% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,525 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,017 in Matola. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $180 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 $1,017, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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 $1,017 in Matola to $1,256 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.