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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $336 in Onitsha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $491 in Onitsha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $646 in Onitsha, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 283% more than Onitsha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Onitsha are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Onitsha 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$2.76 ₦3,804

-31.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.38 ₦1,895

18.12%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.36 ₦3,243

11.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.99 ₦9,628

18.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$6.91 ₦9,515

60.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$4.01 ₦5,522

-33.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$2.97 ₦4,084

-29.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.71 ₦977

46.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$0.73 ₦1,007

1297.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.08 ₦1,483

60.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.36 ₦498

44.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.79 ₦1,091

60.76%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$11.0K ₦15.2M

179.60%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$21.7K ₦29.9M

7.24%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$41.18 ₦56.7K

99.15%

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

$22.45 MX$393

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$54.5 ₦75.0K

-45.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$32.88 ₦45.3K

57.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$8.16 ₦11.2K

-39.09%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$95.6 ₦131.6K

106.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$94.1 ₦129.5K

-5.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$831 ₦1.1M

15.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$2,035 ₦2.8M

-21.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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 Onitsha: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $831 in Onitsha. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 283%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $504 in Onitsha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Onitsha, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 69% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $95.6 in Onitsha. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Onitsha, where all-in costs run around $336, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Onitsha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Onitsha – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Onitsha. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.