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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $340 in Onitsha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $488 in Onitsha, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $635 in Onitsha, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 271% more than Onitsha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Onitsha are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Onitsha 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$2.65 ₦3,621

-29.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.39 ₦1,895

12.23%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.35 ₦3,200

11.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.99 ₦9,543

19.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$6.91 ₦9,432

57.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.98 ₦5,436

-31.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$2.98 ₦4,066

-26.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.70 ₦961

55.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$0.75 ₦1,026

1290.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.07 ₦1,454

55.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.33 ₦456

63.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.85 ₦1,160

54.12%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$11.0K ₦14.9M

172.19%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$22.0K ₦30.0M

6.20%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$41.35 ₦56.4K

96.57%

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

$22.56 MX$390

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$55.6 ₦75.8K

-45.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$33.23 ₦45.3K

59.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$8.19 ₦11.2K

-39.93%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$94.0 ₦128.2K

113.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$96.7 ₦131.9K

-10.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$807 ₦1.1M

21.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$2,030 ₦2.8M

-18.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

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

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Onitsha: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $807 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 271%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $509 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 71% 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 $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $94.0 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 $340, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.