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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $989 in Suva, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,806 in Suva, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,623 in Suva, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 31% more than Suva, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Suva are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Suva 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$5.23 FJD 11.46

124.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$43.87 FJD 96.2

-5.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.79 FJD 14.90

56.70%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.11 FJD 6.82

13.18%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.49 FJD 3.26

1.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.66 FJD 1.44

46.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$3.06 FJD 6.71

-3.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.61 FJD 7.92

23.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.29 FJD 2.84

6.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.49 FJD 1.07

285.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.19 FJD 2.61

37.82%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$3.34 FJD 7.32

-24.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.39 FJD 20.59

-11.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.35 FJD 16.12

13.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.50 FJD 16.44

43.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.47 FJD 5.41

5.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.42 FJD 5.31

-39.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$3.41 FJD 7.49

-44.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$3.16 FJD 6.93

-34.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.53 FJD 3.34

16.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.18 FJD 2.59

85.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.18 FJD 2.59

-11.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.74 FJD 1.63

45.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$9.73 FJD 21.34

-58.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$7.66 FJD 16.81

34.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.23 FJD 4.89

-23.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.45 FJD 7.57

-25.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.87 FJD 1.90

-41.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$21.82 FJD 47.85

21.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.86 FJD 1.88

279.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.44 FJD 0.97

465.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$8.88 FJD 19.47

-63.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.34 FJD 2.94

-2.24%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$24.4K FJD 53.4K

24.30%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$24.9K FJD 54.6K

-5.93%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$45.88 FJD 101

80.62%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$12.94 FJD 28.37

71.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$24.25 FJD 53.2

20.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$29.82 FJD 65.4

73.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$6.95 FJD 15.24

163.60%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$4.40 FJD 9.65

15.23%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$225 FJD 493

-10.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$14.0K FJD 30.8K

-62.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$26.11 FJD 57.3

41.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$26.95 FJD 59.1

47.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$69.8 FJD 153

12.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$61.7 FJD 135

41.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$582 FJD 1,277

66.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$390 FJD 855

19.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$2,039 FJD 4,471

-19.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$1,208 FJD 2,649

1.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,369 FJD 3,003

188.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$852 FJD 1,868

662.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$988 FJD 2,168

-32.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.7

48.31%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Suva: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $582 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 49% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $44.00 in Suva. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $234 in Suva – so Suva wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 31%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,483 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $989 in Suva. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 21% 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 $989, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.