Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Onitsha

For one person, living is cheaper in Onitsha: $0.71 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $14,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Onitsha, Nigeria
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Onitsha
🇳🇬 Nigeria
$0.71
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Onitsha

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Onitsha actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $0.71 in Onitsha, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Onitsha $0.71

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1.25 in Onitsha, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Onitsha $1.25

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1.78 in Onitsha, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Onitsha $1.78

Playa del Carmen costs about 169517% more than Onitsha, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Playa del Carmen and Onitsha are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 12% lower, Onitsha 100% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Onitsha
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$203
-
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$805
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$219
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$70.7
-
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$23.81
-
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.54
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$58.8
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$91.7
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Onitsha
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.12
-
-
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.17
-
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.32
-
-
Eggs
$2.52 MX$46.85
-
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$135
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$143
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$236
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.7
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.41
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.37
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.43
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.00
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.02
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.29
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$21.89
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$79.8
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$185
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.41
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$49.60
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Onitsha
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.28
$0.18 ₦239
205.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$494
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$92.3
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$61.9
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$99.5
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$26.82
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$383.8K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$435.8K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Onitsha
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,575
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$435
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$532
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Onitsha
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,059
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$537
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$95.4
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Onitsha
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,836
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$72.9K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Onitsha
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$805
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$770
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,378
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,657
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Onitsha
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.2K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,072
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$31.7K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$73.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$114.4K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Onitsha
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
0
-

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Onitsha: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Onitsha
–
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Onitsha
–
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Onitsha
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Onitsha
–
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Onitsha
–
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Onitsha
–
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Onitsha
–
Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇳🇬 Onitsha
🕒 Local time
22:35 10:35 PM
04:35 4:35 AM
6 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
1,080,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

NGN, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 18.57 MXN (100 MXN = 5.38 USD). 1 EUR = 20.81 MXN (100 MXN = 4.8 EUR).

Nigerian Naira exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 1,337 NGN (10,000 NGN = 7.48 USD). 1 EUR = 1,498 NGN (10,000 NGN = 6.68 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Onitsha 10,170 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Onitsha

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Onitsha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Onitsha cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 169517%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1.07 in Onitsha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Onitsha?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Onitsha, where all-in costs run around $0.71, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Onitsha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Onitsha?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $0.71 in Onitsha to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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