Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Mazar-i-Sharif Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Mazar-i-Sharif

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $289 in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $453 in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Playa del Carmen versus $617 in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 348% more expensive than in Mazar-i-Sharif, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Mazar-i-Sharif 79% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$2.32 ؋149

404.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$15.11 ؋974

208.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$3.84 ؋247

203.39%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.50 ؋484

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.57 ؋488

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.1

$1.17 ؋75.6

249.57%

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

$1.37 MX$23.21

$0.54 ؋34.68

153.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.08

$0.29 ؋18.68

186.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.16

$0.59 ؋38.21

193.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.17

$0.16 ؋10.16

1312.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.88

$2.02 ؋130

-12.38%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.14

$1.61 ؋104

69.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$7.76 ؋500

18.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$3.37 ؋217

164.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$6.16 ؋397

104.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.0

$0.56 ؋35.89

439.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.52

$1.11 ؋71.5

41.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.89

$0.81 ؋52.3

162.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.23

$0.64 ؋40.97

253.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.84

$0.49 ؋31.89

308.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.86

$0.38 ؋24.54

442.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.92

$0.51 ؋32.77

131.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.33

$0.31 ؋20.00

287.10%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.81 ؋117

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$1.56 ؋101

196.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$180

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.35

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.65

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.68

$0.78 ؋50.3

-26.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$1.50 ؋96.8

298.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.23

$1.46 ؋94.1

6.16%

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

$22.3K MX$377.0K

$10.1K ؋650.8K

121.17%

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

$25.9K MX$438.2K

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

$89.1 MX$1,505

$79.4 ؋5,120

12.23%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$16.71 ؋1,077

49.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$11.48 ؋740

490.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

$3.71 ؋239

679.51%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$4.59 ؋296

10.02%

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

$225 MX$3,798

$76.0 ؋4,902

195.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$801

$13.04 ؋840

263.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$759

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,384

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,555

$18.26 ؋1,178

404.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,844

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$111.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

$226 ؋14.5K

231.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Mazar-i-Sharif: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 232% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $15.00 in Mazar-i-Sharif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $105 per month, with Mazar-i-Sharif cheaper across the board.

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 Mazar-i-Sharif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mazar-i-Sharif is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 348% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 232% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 165% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $289 in Mazar-i-Sharif – a 348% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $289 in Mazar-i-Sharif versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mazar-i-Sharif but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Mazar-i-Sharif the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mazar-i-Sharif is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Mazar-i-Sharif gentler on the wallet – expenses run 348% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.