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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $485 in Nyamata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $775 in Nyamata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,065 in Nyamata.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 160% more expensive than in Nyamata, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Nyamata 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.53 RWF 5,167

232.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$10.34 RWF 15.1K

305.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$6.66 RWF 9,745

57.81%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.72 RWF 2,522

108.72%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.70 RWF 1,028

115.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.44 RWF 638

109.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.01 RWF 1,478

193.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$1.42 RWF 2,074

210.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$0.71 RWF 1,037

97.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.81 RWF 1,186

132.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.29 RWF 1,885

20.93%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.63 RWF 2,389

60.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$3.56 RWF 5,204

133.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$2.72 RWF 3,987

206.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$3.66 RWF 5,355

196.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.49 RWF 3,649

8.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$0.43 RWF 631

251.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$0.70 RWF 1,028

167.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.58 RWF 847

277.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.48 RWF 695

287.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.76 RWF 1,112

193.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.33 RWF 488

224.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.71 RWF 1,036

53.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$1.43 RWF 2,094

193.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$10.23 RWF 15.0K

1.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$0.89 RWF 1,302

86.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.73 RWF 2,536

50.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$30.67 RWF 44.9K

-14.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$2.70 RWF 3,947

14.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.45 RWF 2,115

65.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$3.04 RWF 4,451

2.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.19 RWF 1,746

10.08%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$26.7K RWF 39.1M

11.63%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$24.5K RWF 35.9M

-4.95%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$47.33 RWF 69.3K

71.73%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$9.04 RWF 13.2K

149.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$17.43 RWF 25.5K

72.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$47.67 RWF 69.8K

10.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$2.13 RWF 3,123

130.99%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$154 RWF 224.7K

30.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$5,159 RWF 7.6M

0.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$16.90 RWF 24.7K

112.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$19.52 RWF 28.6K

105.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$24.76 RWF 36.2K

221.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$30.87 RWF 45.2K

180.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$104 RWF 152.4K

839.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$68.6 RWF 100.3K

586.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$341 RWF 498.4K

384.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$239 RWF 349.1K

404.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$186 RWF 272.8K

263.02%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Nyamata: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $104 in Nyamata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 263% 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 $252 vs $124 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 160% 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 263% 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: $978 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 17% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $201 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 $485 in Nyamata versus $1,260 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 $485 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 160% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.