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: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $489 in Nyamata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Playa del Carmen versus $795 in Nyamata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,101 in Nyamata.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 165% more expensive than in Nyamata, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Nyamata 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$204

$3.38 RWF 4,938

247.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$725

$10.25 RWF 15.0K

307.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$181

$6.52 RWF 9,516

59.66%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$1.70 RWF 2,481

112.35%

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

$1.46 MX$25.28

$0.67 RWF 983

117.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.43 RWF 628

125.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.8

$1.07 RWF 1,560

172.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$80.2

$1.42 RWF 2,079

225.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$0.68 RWF 986

110.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.98

$0.85 RWF 1,235

123.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.18

$1.30 RWF 1,892

20.77%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.73

$1.72 RWF 2,507

53.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$146

$3.70 RWF 5,398

128.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$149

$2.84 RWF 4,140

202.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$191

$3.65 RWF 5,335

201.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.91

$2.48 RWF 3,627

8.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.15

$0.41 RWF 593

268.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.22

$0.66 RWF 962

189.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.69

$0.58 RWF 843

274.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.53

$0.48 RWF 697

289.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.76

$0.75 RWF 1,097

197.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.76

$0.34 RWF 491

217.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.71 RWF 1,044

50.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$72.2

$1.43 RWF 2,082

190.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$179

$10.24 RWF 14.9K

0.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.20

$0.97 RWF 1,420

73.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.96

$1.72 RWF 2,516

47.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.61

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$456

$31.20 RWF 45.6K

-15.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.5

$2.57 RWF 3,750

24.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.73

$1.39 RWF 2,036

76.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.5

$3.19 RWF 4,662

0.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.91

$1.18 RWF 1,724

11.86%

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

$30.2K MX$523.3K

$26.5K RWF 38.8M

13.58%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$24.3K RWF 35.5M

-3.86%

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

$81.4 MX$1,412

$46.11 RWF 67.3K

76.43%

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

$22.41 MX$389

$8.68 RWF 12.7K

158.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$520

$17.16 RWF 25.0K

74.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$47.42 RWF 69.2K

8.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$89.6

$2.02 RWF 2,950

155.45%

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

$202 MX$3,501

$153 RWF 223.8K

31.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$92.2K

$5,057 RWF 7.4M

5.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$618

$16.96 RWF 24.8K

109.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$701

$19.19 RWF 28.0K

110.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,365

$24.12 RWF 35.2K

226.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,507

$31.42 RWF 45.9K

176.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.5K

$104 RWF 152.2K

811.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,298

$69.6 RWF 101.7K

586.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$28.1K

$353 RWF 515.8K

358.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$246 RWF 359.6K

396.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.7K

$186 RWF 271.3K

262.12%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Nyamata: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $950 in Playa del Carmen and $104 in Nyamata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 262% 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 $10.00 in Nyamata for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $126 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 165% 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.

Average pay runs 262% 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: $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $104 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 19% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $202 in Playa del Carmen versus $153 in Nyamata. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $489 in Nyamata versus $1,294 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 $489 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 165% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.