Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Nadi

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,397 in Nadi, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Nadi outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Nadi, Fiji
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Nadi
🇫🇯 Fiji
$1,397
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Nadi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Nadi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,397 in Nadi, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Nadi $1,397

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,051 in Nadi, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Nadi $2,051

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,705 in Nadi, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Nadi $2,705

Playa del Carmen is about 14% cheaper than Nadi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Playa del Carmen sits 12% below the global median, while Nadi is 3% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Nadi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$205
$8.72 FJD 19.47
25.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$815
$37.31 FJD 83.3
16.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$221
$8.96 FJD 20.00
31.47%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.6
$4.41 FJD 9.83
-13.61%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$24.10
$1.46 FJD 3.26
-12.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.71
$1.23 FJD 2.76
-36.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.5
$2.67 FJD 5.97
18.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.7
$4.57 FJD 10.20
7.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Nadi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.43
$1.37 FJD 3.05
2.92%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.66
$1.09 FJD 2.43
103.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.64
$1.34 FJD 2.98
5.97%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.41
$3.11 FJD 6.94
-18.97%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$137
$11.95 FJD 26.68
-39.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$145
$13.86 FJD 30.94
-44.44%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$239
$15.74 FJD 35.14
-19.38%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$52.3
$3.01 FJD 6.71
-7.64%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.71
$2.78 FJD 6.21
-50.72%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.94
$3.65 FJD 8.15
-30.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.90
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.43
$2.05 FJD 4.57
-5.37%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.44
$1.97 FJD 4.40
-4.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.55
$1.10 FJD 2.44
4.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$22.16
$0.96 FJD 2.15
22.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.7
$9.27 FJD 20.69
-53.61%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$187
$9.91 FJD 22.11
0.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.76
$2.81 FJD 6.28
-43.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$50.2
$3.27 FJD 7.29
-18.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Nadi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.40
$0.66 FJD 1.47
-16.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$500
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$93.4
$1.09 FJD 2.44
355.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.6
$0.45 FJD 1.02
640.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$101
$4.85 FJD 10.82
10.52%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$27.14
$1.33 FJD 2.98
8.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$388.4K
$24.1K FJD 53.7K
-14.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$441.0K
$22.2K FJD 49.6K
5.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Nadi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,594
$67.2 FJD 150
26.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$440
$17.96 FJD 40.10
30.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$539
$22.92 FJD 51.2
25.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Nadi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,072
$38.20 FJD 85.3
49.35%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$543
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$96.6
$5.45 FJD 12.16
-5.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Nadi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,882
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.8K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Nadi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$815
$29.03 FJD 64.8
49.33%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$779
$44.00 FJD 98.2
-5.82%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,394
$57.8 FJD 129
28.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,677
$66.3 FJD 148
34.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Nadi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.4K
$1,107 FJD 2,471
-11.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,157
$655 FJD 1,462
-41.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$32.1K
$1,675 FJD 3,738
1.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.2K
$1,003 FJD 2,239
7.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$74.1K
$679 FJD 1,515
481.06%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$115.7K
$509 FJD 1,137
1108.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Nadi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.8K
$833 FJD 1,859
-11.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
7.25
57.93%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Nadi: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Nadi
$655 72% $274
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Nadi
$307 * 20.7% $53
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Nadi
$183 9.7% $20
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Nadi
$108 21% $29
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Nadi
$89 20.6% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Nadi
$49 27.1% $18
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Nadi
$6 * 88.1% $44

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,107 in Nadi. 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 13% higher in Nadi, 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 $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $37 in Nadi. Groceries tell a different story – $255 in Playa del Carmen vs $307 in Nadi – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇫🇯 Nadi
🕒 Local time
04:08 4:08 AM
21:08 9:08 PM
17 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
50,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

FJD, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.79 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 20.97 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Fijian Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 2.23 FJD (1 FJD = 0.448 USD). 1 EUR = 2.49 FJD (1 FJD = 0.401 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Nadi 11,250 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Nadi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Nadi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Nadi?
Yes – Nadi is pricier by about 16%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,096 in Nadi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $980 there versus $1,107 in Nadi.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and in Nadi?
Groceries cost about 21% more in Nadi, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or in Nadi?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen and $37 in Nadi. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Nadi?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,204 in Playa del Carmen to $1,397 in Nadi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nadi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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