Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Nadi Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Nadi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,059 in Nadi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,665 in Nadi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,272 in Nadi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 19% more than Nadi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Nadi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Nadi 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$4.02 FJD 9.01

198.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$26.85 FJD 60.1

55.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$8.21 FJD 18.37

30.94%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$3.53 FJD 7.90

-0.85%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$1.00 FJD 2.24

45.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.97 FJD 2.18

-9.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$2.94 FJD 6.58

0.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$3.10 FJD 6.94

45.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.37 FJD 3.06

4.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.81 FJD 1.81

127.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$2.20 FJD 4.93

14.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$5.06 FJD 11.33

63.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$12.71 FJD 28.44

-33.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$2.28 FJD 5.09

14.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$2.63 FJD 5.88

-45.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$3.29 FJD 7.36

-36.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$1.80 FJD 4.02

2.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$1.83 FJD 4.10

18.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$1.16 FJD 2.59

-11.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$1.71 FJD 3.83

-37.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$7.96 FJD 17.81

-48.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$11.00 FJD 24.62

-7.55%

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

$0.64 FJD 1.44

-20.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$1.13 FJD 2.54

185.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.42 FJD 0.93

473.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$4.82 FJD 10.80

-32.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.29 FJD 2.89

2.33%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$20.1K FJD 44.9K

47.89%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$24.7K FJD 55.3K

-4.32%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$54.7 FJD 122

49.98%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$15.67 FJD 35.07

46.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$19.65 FJD 43.97

53.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$38.17 FJD 85.4

36.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$4.63 FJD 10.36

7.56%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$221 FJD 494

-10.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$4,049 FJD 9,061

31.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$28.93 FJD 64.7

23.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$44.89 FJD 100

-10.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$57.1 FJD 128

37.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$66.2 FJD 148

34.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$892 FJD 1,995

6.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$483 FJD 1,081

-1.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$1,550 FJD 3,468

6.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$1,035 FJD 2,316

16.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$682 FJD 1,526

494.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$512 FJD 1,145

1164.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$1,094 FJD 2,449

-40.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.17

85.09%

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 Nadi: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $892 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 67% higher in Nadi, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $27.00 in Nadi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $209 – making Nadi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 19%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,588 in Nadi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nadi, 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 $1,059 in Nadi. 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 $221 in Nadi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Nadi, where all-in costs run around $1,059, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Nadi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nadi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Nadi. 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.