Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Nuku'alofa Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Nuku'alofa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,325 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,010 in Nuku'alofa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,355 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,864 in Nuku'alofa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,384 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,719 in Nuku'alofa.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 31% more expensive than in Nuku'alofa, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 2% lower, Nuku'alofa 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.87 MX$219

$8.46 TOP 20.03

52.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.29 MX$804

$62.2 TOP 147

-23.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.79 MX$217

$10.18 TOP 24.12

25.64%

Cappuccino

$3.96 MX$67.3

$2.96 TOP 7.01

33.78%

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

$1.43 MX$24.28

$2.78 TOP 6.58

-48.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.05

$2.48 TOP 5.88

-66.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.5

$3.25 TOP 7.70

-6.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 MX$118

$4.89 TOP 11.58

42.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 MX$28.77

$1.53 TOP 3.62

10.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 MX$36.22

$1.06 TOP 2.51

100.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$2.09 TOP 4.95

-19.14%

Eggs

$2.76 MX$46.90

$4.99 TOP 11.81

-44.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.19 MX$156

$9.10 TOP 21.56

0.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.03 MX$153

$6.02 TOP 14.27

50.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.39 MX$211

$7.54 TOP 17.86

64.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 MX$52.5

$2.81 TOP 6.65

9.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.28

$2.84 TOP 6.73

-45.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 MX$36.45

$2.86 TOP 6.78

-25.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.47

$3.72 TOP 8.80

-40.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.87

$3.12 TOP 7.39

-34.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 MX$34.55

$2.59 TOP 6.13

-21.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 MX$20.77

$2.27 TOP 5.38

-46.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 MX$19.34

$1.35 TOP 3.20

-15.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.62 MX$78.5

$10.27 TOP 24.32

-55.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.60 MX$180

$17.31 TOP 41.02

-38.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 MX$27.87

$3.17 TOP 7.50

-48.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 MX$49.93

$3.30 TOP 7.81

-10.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 MX$10.29

$2.10 TOP 4.98

-70.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.50 MX$502

$41.62 TOP 98.6

-29.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.31 MX$90.2

$2.06 TOP 4.89

157.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$63.4

$2.05 TOP 4.85

81.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.79 MX$98.4

$40.83 TOP 96.7

-85.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.46 TOP 3.46

8.22%

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

$22.4K MX$381.4K

$5,700 TOP 13.5K

293.54%

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

$25.4K MX$431.9K

$8,333 TOP 19.7K

204.83%

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

$90.7 MX$1,541

$187 TOP 442

-51.45%

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

$23.03 MX$392

$22.16 TOP 52.5

3.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.71 MX$539

$125 TOP 296

-74.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.1 MX$1,141

$31.58 TOP 74.8

112.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.14 MX$495

$40.89 TOP 96.9

-28.74%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.9

$41.94 TOP 99.3

-87.96%

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

$222 MX$3,766

$155 TOP 367

42.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,223 MX$71.8K

$250 TOP 592

1590.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 MX$775

$14.34 TOP 33.96

217.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.06 MX$749

$17.96 TOP 42.54

145.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 MX$1,637

$21.09 TOP 49.95

356.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.3 MX$1,586

$28.91 TOP 68.5

222.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,074 MX$18.3K

$622 TOP 1,473

72.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 MX$6,839

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,908 MX$32.4K

$821 TOP 1,945

132.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,259 MX$21.4K

$562 TOP 1,332

124.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,093 MX$69.6K

$410 TOP 972

897.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,594 MX$112.1K

$249 TOP 591

2543.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$753 MX$12.8K

$687 TOP 1,628

9.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 8, 2026

Last update for Nuku'alofa: August 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,074 in Playa del Carmen and $622 in Nuku'alofa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 10% 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 $62.0 in Nuku'alofa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $292 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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 Nuku'alofa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Nuku'alofa differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($1,325 vs $1,010 including rent). Nuku'alofa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 10% 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: $1,074 in Playa del Carmen versus $622 in Nuku'alofa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Nuku'alofa – a meal for two runs $62.0 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,325 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,010 in Nuku'alofa – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,010 in Nuku'alofa versus $1,325 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nuku'alofa but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Nuku'alofa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Nuku'alofa are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Nuku'alofa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.