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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $959 in Suva, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,719 in Suva, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,480 in Suva, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 32% more than Suva, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Suva are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Suva 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$5.99 FJD 13.32

93.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$45.49 FJD 101

3.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.75 FJD 17.22

53.29%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$3.00 FJD 6.68

32.67%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.59 FJD 3.54

-10.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.75 FJD 1.66

9.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$3.64 FJD 8.08

-12.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$4.38 FJD 9.74

55.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.30 FJD 2.88

29.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.58 FJD 1.28

279.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.09 FJD 2.42

56.88%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$3.41 FJD 7.57

-19.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$10.28 FJD 22.83

-6.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.30 FJD 13.99

43.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$8.01 FJD 17.81

59.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.54 FJD 5.65

13.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.59 FJD 5.76

-42.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$3.43 FJD 7.63

-37.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$3.26 FJD 7.24

-30.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.23 FJD 2.74

60.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.09 FJD 2.42

82.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.17 FJD 2.61

5.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.74 FJD 1.65

62.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$9.99 FJD 22.20

-54.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$7.62 FJD 16.94

36.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$2.07 FJD 4.61

-21.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$3.41 FJD 7.57

-15.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.88 FJD 1.95

-31.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$22.31 FJD 49.58

29.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.87 FJD 1.94

519.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.46 FJD 1.03

710.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$8.79 FJD 19.54

-34.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.37 FJD 3.04

12.41%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$25.1K FJD 55.9K

-10.33%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$25.3K FJD 56.1K

3.17%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$46.69 FJD 104

95.72%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$12.86 FJD 28.57

95.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$24.29 FJD 54.0

28.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$36.37 FJD 80.8

84.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$11.23 FJD 24.95

159.22%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$3.40 FJD 7.56

42.94%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$227 FJD 504

-1.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$13.7K FJD 30.5K

-69.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$33.30 FJD 74.0

41.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$40.07 FJD 89.0

10.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$69.6 FJD 155

15.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$62.9 FJD 140

47.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$904 FJD 2,009

17.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$333 FJD 740

17.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$2,661 FJD 5,913

-19.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$997 FJD 2,216

27.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$1,341 FJD 2,979

198.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$829 FJD 1,842

684.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$979 FJD 2,175

-22.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

7.7

48.70%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Suva: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $904 in Suva. 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 29% higher in Suva, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $45.00 in Suva. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $233 – making Suva the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Suva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 32%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,439 in Suva. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Suva, 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $959 in Suva. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 29% less in Suva. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Suva, where all-in costs run around $959, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Suva it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Suva – 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 Suva. 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.