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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,013 in Matola, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,513 in Matola, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,013 in Matola, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 25% more than Matola, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Matola are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Matola 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$8.02 MZN 507

44.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$63.5 MZN 4,015

-25.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$7.41 MZN 468

60.32%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$1.55 MZN 97.8

156.77%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$0.89 MZN 56.0

60.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$0.70 MZN 44.16

17.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$1.20 MZN 75.9

165.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.53 MZN 96.6

343.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$1.52 MZN 96.0

10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$1.00 MZN 63.1

120.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$1.60 MZN 102

6.87%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$1.83 MZN 116

49.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$13.22 MZN 836

-27.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.75 MZN 364

56.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$4.63 MZN 293

176.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$1.98 MZN 126

45.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$0.59 MZN 37.41

154.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$1.63 MZN 103

31.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$1.04 MZN 66.0

117.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$1.00 MZN 63.2

98.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$0.82 MZN 51.7

142.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$0.95 MZN 60.1

29.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$0.53 MZN 33.52

126.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$2.76 MZN 175

64.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$7.24 MZN 458

43.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$0.96 MZN 60.9

68.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$1.21 MZN 76.8

138.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$1.60 MZN 101

236.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$1.20 MZN 75.6

210.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$24.78 MZN 1,568

-76.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$1.33 MZN 84.1

15.79%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$31.1K MZN 2.0M

-27.59%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$22.6K MZN 1.4M

15.07%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$38.84 MZN 2,456

135.27%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$7.69 MZN 487

227.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$76.9 MZN 4,863

-59.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$38.93 MZN 2,462

72.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$7.71 MZN 487

-36.96%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$127 MZN 8,020

76.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$5,198 MZN 328.8K

-18.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$50.8 MZN 3,212

-7.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$56.5 MZN 3,573

-21.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$78.0 MZN 4,936

2.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$79.7 MZN 5,043

16.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$465 MZN 29.4K

128.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$393 MZN 24.8K

-0.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$714 MZN 45.2K

200.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$557 MZN 35.2K

128.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$309 MZN 19.6K

145.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-54.20%

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 Matola: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $465 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 145% 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 $63.0 in Matola. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $183 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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, $1,013 in Matola – roughly 25% 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 $1,520 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,013 in Matola. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $127 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 $1,013, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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 $1,013 in Matola to $1,266 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.