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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $487 in Nyamata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $780 in Nyamata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,072 in Nyamata.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 164% more expensive than Nyamata, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Nyamata 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$3.54 RWF 5,183

237.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$10.34 RWF 15.1K

313.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$6.51 RWF 9,530

62.67%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.76 RWF 2,579

105.68%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.68 RWF 995

116.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.44 RWF 644

113.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.06 RWF 1,554

191.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$1.41 RWF 2,061

216.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.71 RWF 1,040

101.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.85 RWF 1,247

121.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.29 RWF 1,885

26.36%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.68 RWF 2,460

57.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$3.52 RWF 5,148

133.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$2.81 RWF 4,116

195.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$3.81 RWF 5,582

191.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.36 RWF 3,462

12.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$0.43 RWF 631

248.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$0.71 RWF 1,043

180.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.57 RWF 836

264.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.48 RWF 700

272.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.78 RWF 1,136

179.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.37 RWF 536

191.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.68 RWF 992

52.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$1.37 RWF 2,002

189.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$10.12 RWF 14.8K

0.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$0.89 RWF 1,298

94.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.81 RWF 2,644

38.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$30.68 RWF 44.9K

-12.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$2.60 RWF 3,813

20.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.40 RWF 2,055

71.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$3.16 RWF 4,633

-2.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.13 RWF 1,650

12.39%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$27.2K RWF 39.8M

13.66%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$24.4K RWF 35.7M

-4.35%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$47.18 RWF 69.1K

73.82%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$8.55 RWF 12.5K

162.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$17.34 RWF 25.4K

71.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$47.14 RWF 69.0K

10.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$2.12 RWF 3,104

134.43%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$154 RWF 225.3K

28.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$5,216 RWF 7.6M

1.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$16.77 RWF 24.5K

116.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$19.65 RWF 28.8K

103.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$24.12 RWF 35.3K

231.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$30.85 RWF 45.2K

188.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$106 RWF 154.6K

812.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$68.7 RWF 100.5K

576.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$348 RWF 510.2K

358.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$238 RWF 348.8K

407.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$182 RWF 266.1K

296.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

16.2

-29.51%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Nyamata: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $106 in Nyamata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 296% 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: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $10.00 in Nyamata for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $125 per month, with Nyamata 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 Nyamata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nyamata wins on cost – living expenses run 164% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nyamata the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Playa del Carmen pays 296% more on average, 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: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $106 in Nyamata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Nyamata runs roughly 14% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $154 in Nyamata. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $487 in Nyamata versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Nyamata but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Nyamata the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Nyamata delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $487 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nyamata hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Nyamata 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 Nyamata gentler on the wallet – expenses run 164% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.