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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $668 in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $844 in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,020 in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 88% more expensive than in Mazar-i-Sharif, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Mazar-i-Sharif 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$2.22 ؋146

440.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$14.21 ؋934

194.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$3.32 ؋218

223.80%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 ؋236

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 ؋470

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$1.11 ؋73.2

215.32%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.52 ؋34.48

178.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.27 ؋17.88

225.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$0.55 ؋36.05

160.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.20 ؋13.08

820.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.62 ؋107

-3.09%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.60 ؋105

56.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$5.05 ؋332

63.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$3.68 ؋242

129.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$5.45 ؋359

95.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$0.54 ؋35.44

383.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$0.93 ؋61.0

54.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$0.74 ؋48.39

164.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$0.57 ؋37.45

266.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.46 ؋30.48

302.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.39 ؋25.34

456.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.39 ؋25.35

164.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.28 ؋18.31

282.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.78 ؋117

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 ؋26.91

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 ؋77.5

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$1.17 ؋76.7

250.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.52 ؋34.47

-1.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$21.27 ؋1,398

22.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$0.70 ؋46.12

361.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.37 ؋90.2

75.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$1.41 ؋92.5

129.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.15 ؋75.3

14.78%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$10.0K ؋660.6K

195.50%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$40.0K ؋2.6M

-40.84%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$109 ؋7,151

-24.62%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$15.86 ؋1,042

44.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$282 ؋18.5K

-89.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$10.88 ؋715

377.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$3.53 ؋232

424.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$4.38 ؋288

13.70%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$28.45 ؋1,870

593.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$12.03 ؋791

195.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$17.09 ؋1,123

420.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$85.2 ؋5,600

1011.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$43.01 ؋2,827

1002.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$145 ؋9,558

1030.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$70.8 ؋4,652

1610.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$229 ؋15.0K

186.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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 Mazar-i-Sharif: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $85.2 in Mazar-i-Sharif. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 186% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $14.00 in Mazar-i-Sharif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $91.0 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, Getting Around. The 88% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 186% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $85.2 in Mazar-i-Sharif. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 172% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Mazar-i-Sharif – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $668 in Mazar-i-Sharif versus $1,256 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 88% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.