Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Samaxi

For one person, living is cheaper in Samaxi: $842 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index
41

Cost of Living Index in Samaxi
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Samaxi Living Index

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Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Samaxi

🇦🇿 Azerbaijan

$842

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Samaxi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $842 in Samaxi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $1,204
Samaxi $842

A couple spends around $2,102 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,521 in Samaxi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,102
Samaxi $1,521

A family of three spends $3,000 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,200 in Samaxi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $3,000
Samaxi $2,200

Playa del Carmen costs about 43% more than Samaxi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Playa del Carmen and Samaxi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 11% lower, Samaxi 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.86 MX$201

$8.29 ₼14.08

31.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.21 MX$817

$29.87 ₼50.8

48.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.76 MX$217

$5.85 ₼9.94

101.03%

Cappuccino

$3.68 MX$68.0

$2.75 ₼4.68

33.82%

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

$1.34 MX$24.79

$0.85 ₼1.45

57.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$15.24

$0.34 ₼0.58

141.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.06 MX$56.6

$1.21 ₼2.06

152.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 MX$91.2

$2.31 ₼3.93

113.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 MX$27.17

$1.35 ₼2.29

8.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$40.95

$0.36 ₼0.60

516.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 MX$27.32

$2.41 ₼4.09

-38.59%

Eggs

$2.49 MX$45.99

$1.12 ₼1.90

122.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.52 MX$139

$2.93 ₼4.98

156.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.96 MX$147

$4.41 ₼7.49

80.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.57 MX$232

$9.07 ₼15.41

38.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MX$51.3

$0.63 ₼1.06

341.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MX$26.37

$1.56 ₼2.65

-8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MX$48.37

$1.44 ₼2.44

81.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MX$39.49

$1.05 ₼1.78

103.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$37.38

$0.59 ₼1.00

242.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$36.74

$0.51 ₼0.87

290.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 MX$21.01

$0.43 ₼0.74

165.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$22.18

$0.59 ₼0.99

103.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 MX$78.7

$3.48 ₼5.92

22.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.02 MX$185

$5.13 ₼8.72

95.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$28.41

$0.85 ₼1.44

81.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 MX$49.17

$1.94 ₼3.29

37.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 MX$9.73

$0.30 ₼0.52

76.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.51 MX$508

$14.48 ₼24.60

89.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.90 MX$90.6

$1.74 ₼2.97

181.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.43 MX$63.5

$0.30 ₼0.52

1043.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.38 MX$99.4

$3.00 ₼5.10

79.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$26.76

$0.57 ₼0.97

154.39%

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

$21.2K MX$391.0K

$23.5K ₼39.9K

-9.96%

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

$23.0K MX$425.3K

$24.8K ₼42.2K

-7.36%

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

$85.4 MX$1,577

$33.84 ₼57.5

152.25%

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

$23.46 MX$434

$12.85 ₼21.84

82.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.43 MX$525

$14.52 ₼24.68

95.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.2 MX$1,149

$29.79 ₼50.6

108.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.68 MX$530

$14.85 ₼25.23

93.13%

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 MX$94.3

$7.22 ₼12.27

-29.36%

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

$201 MX$3,715

$234 ₼398

-14.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,947 MX$72.9K

$11.6K ₼19.7K

-65.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.39 MX$820

$47.94 ₼81.5

-7.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.35 MX$764

$58.1 ₼98.7

-28.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.7 MX$1,344

$117 ₼199

-37.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.6 MX$1,656

$118 ₼201

-24.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$979 MX$18.1K

$388 ₼659

152.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 MX$6,887

$289 ₼491

28.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,681 MX$31.1K

$703 ₼1,195

139.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 MX$20.2K

$894 ₼1,519

22.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,949 MX$73.0K

$2,067 ₼3,513

91.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,137 MX$113.4K

$1,196 ₼2,032

413.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$738 MX$13.6K

$347 ₼590

112.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

43.12%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Last update for Samaxi: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$373 31%

Samaxi

$289 34.3% 22.4% $84

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$258 21.5%

Samaxi

$143 16.9% 44.8% $116

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$200 16.6%

Samaxi

$132 15.7% 33.9% $68

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4%

Samaxi

$61 7.3% 55.4% $76

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3%

Samaxi

$153 18.2% 37.5% $42

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$72 6%

Samaxi

$44 5.3% 38.9% $28

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$52 4.3%

Samaxi

$19 2.3% 63.3% $33

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $979 in Playa del Carmen versus $388 in Samaxi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 112% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $30.00 in Samaxi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $143 – making Samaxi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇦🇿 Samaxi

🕒 Local time

06:38 6:38 AM

15:38 3:38 PM

9 h ahead of Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

41,000

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Azerbaijani Manat AZN ₼

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

1 AZN = 0.588 USD

1 AZN = 0.523 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AZN, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Azerbaijani Manat exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.7 AZN (1 AZN = 0.588 USD). 1 EUR = 1.91 AZN (1 AZN = 0.523 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Playa del Carmen Samaxi 11,810 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
Samaxi

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 Samaxi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 43%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,263 in Samaxi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $842 in Samaxi. That's a gap of about 43%.

Public transport costs about 90% less in Samaxi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Samaxi, where all-in costs run around $842, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Samaxi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Samaxi. 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.