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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $338 in Wah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $530 in Wah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $721 in Wah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 283% more than Wah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Wah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Wah 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$1.82 PKR 505

544.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$10.58 PKR 2,941

294.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$3.44 PKR 957

202.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 PKR 801

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 PKR 1,360

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$1.23 PKR 342

193.50%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.31 PKR 86.0

370.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.24 PKR 67.0

304.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$0.71 PKR 198

101.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$0.59 PKR 164

222.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$1.27 PKR 352

23.62%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$1.20 PKR 335

120.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$5.86 PKR 1,630

44.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$2.65 PKR 737

223.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$3.30 PKR 917

233.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$0.98 PKR 273

175.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$0.55 PKR 154

174.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$0.66 PKR 184

189.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$0.52 PKR 145

317.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$0.38 PKR 105

392.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$0.52 PKR 144

328.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.64 PKR 178

68.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.39 PKR 109

174.36%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.97 PKR 269

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 PKR 202

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 PKR 545

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$1.83 PKR 510

127.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.18 PKR 50.3

205.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$7.00 PKR 1,945

275.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$1.04 PKR 290

207.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$0.44 PKR 122

459.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$1.81 PKR 504

76.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$0.92 PKR 255

43.48%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$21.9K PKR 6.1M

37.58%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$21.4K PKR 6.0M

9.11%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$58.7 PKR 16.3K

38.66%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$3.90 PKR 1,085

474.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$12.73 PKR 3,538

135.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$12.55 PKR 3,488

310.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$5.88 PKR 1,634

212.76%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$3.61 PKR 1,005

42.94%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$28.74 PKR 7,990

601.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$1,131 PKR 314.3K

369.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$16.38 PKR 4,553

117.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$21.66 PKR 6,022

86.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$60.2 PKR 16.7K

30.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$26.19 PKR 7,282

231.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$75.7 PKR 21.0K

1155.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$52.4 PKR 14.6K

812.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$165 PKR 45.9K

882.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$106 PKR 29.4K

1057.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$865 PKR 240.6K

363.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$495 PKR 137.7K

1206.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-36.56%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Wah: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $75.7 in Wah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $11.00 in Wah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $87.0 – making Wah 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 Wah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 283%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $507 in Wah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wah, 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $338 in Wah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 276% less in Wah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Wah, where all-in costs run around $338, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. In Wah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Wah – 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 Wah. 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.