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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $331 in Onitsha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $481 in Onitsha, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $630 in Onitsha, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 284% 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 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$2.66 ₦3,613

-30.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.32 ₦1,798

21.97%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.31 ₦3,140

12.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.87 ₦9,336

21.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$6.77 ₦9,200

57.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$4.11 ₦5,594

-36.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$2.98 ₦4,050

-29.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.71 ₦965

53.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$0.75 ₦1,023

1285.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.07 ₦1,461

60.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.33 ₦455

63.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.80 ₦1,082

58.75%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$11.1K ₦15.1M

173.83%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$21.6K ₦29.4M

9.02%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$41.43 ₦56.3K

100.34%

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

$22.71 MX$390

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$55.5 ₦75.5K

-46.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$33.54 ₦45.6K

52.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$8.24 ₦11.2K

-40.17%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$93.8 ₦127.5K

110.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$96.9 ₦131.8K

-7.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$829 ₦1.1M

15.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$2,055 ₦2.8M

-19.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Onitsha: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $829 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 284%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $497 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 70% 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 $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $93.8 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 $331, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.