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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $949 per month in Suva vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,752 per month in Suva vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,554 per month in Suva vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Suva is about 27% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Suva and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Suva 31% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.85 FJD 12.67

$11.71 MX$199

-50.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.43 FJD 98.4

$46.59 MX$792

-2.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 FJD 16.79

$11.65 MX$198

-33.39%

Cappuccino

$2.95 FJD 6.40

$4.09 MX$69.6

-27.87%

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

$1.54 FJD 3.33

$1.37 MX$23.35

12.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 FJD 1.62

$0.83 MX$14.17

-9.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 FJD 7.91

$3.35 MX$57.0

8.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 FJD 9.66

$6.91 MX$117

-35.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 FJD 2.81

$1.73 MX$29.35

-24.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 FJD 1.24

$2.26 MX$38.41

-74.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 FJD 2.38

$1.77 MX$30.07

-37.85%

Eggs

$3.38 FJD 7.33

$2.73 MX$46.43

23.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.29 FJD 22.29

$9.18 MX$156

12.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 FJD 13.58

$8.92 MX$152

-29.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.90 FJD 17.11

$12.60 MX$214

-37.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 FJD 5.61

$3.02 MX$51.3

-14.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 FJD 5.46

$1.57 MX$26.69

60.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 FJD 7.57

$2.13 MX$36.12

64.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.24 FJD 7.01

$2.26 MX$38.48

43.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 FJD 2.79

$2.00 MX$34.05

-35.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 FJD 2.37

$2.06 MX$35.08

-46.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 FJD 2.67

$1.18 MX$20.05

4.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 FJD 1.61

$1.20 MX$20.46

-37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.05 FJD 21.75

$4.63 MX$78.8

117.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 FJD 16.64

$10.69 MX$182

-28.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 FJD 4.77

$1.62 MX$27.52

35.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 FJD 7.48

$2.88 MX$48.96

20.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 FJD 2.04

$0.57 MX$9.74

64.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.12 FJD 50.1

$29.83 MX$507

-22.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 FJD 1.91

$5.45 MX$92.6

-83.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 FJD 1.02

$3.70 MX$63.0

-87.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.28 FJD 20.09

$5.98 MX$102

55.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 FJD 3.03

$1.55 MX$26.40

-9.68%

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

$24.6K FJD 53.2K

$22.3K MX$379.4K

10.06%

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

$26.0K FJD 56.3K

$25.9K MX$441.0K

0.15%

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

$45.84 FJD 99.2

$89.1 MX$1,515

-48.57%

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

$13.27 FJD 28.73

$25.04 MX$426

-47.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 FJD 52.3

$31.50 MX$535

-23.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.66 FJD 81.5

$67.8 MX$1,152

-44.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.52 FJD 24.93

$28.92 MX$491

-60.17%

Cinema Ticket

$3.51 FJD 7.59

$5.05 MX$85.8

-30.50%

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

$230 FJD 499

$225 MX$3,823

2.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K FJD 29.8K

$4,222 MX$71.8K

226.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.83 FJD 73.3

$47.44 MX$806

-28.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 FJD 87.4

$44.98 MX$764

-10.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.3 FJD 152

$82.0 MX$1,393

-14.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 FJD 134

$92.1 MX$1,565

-32.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 FJD 1,935

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-16.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 FJD 716

$405 MX$6,888

-18.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,740 FJD 5,931

$1,935 MX$32.9K

41.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,013 FJD 2,192

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-22.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,381 FJD 2,989

$3,995 MX$67.9K

-65.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$832 FJD 1,800

$6,626 MX$112.6K

-87.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$985 FJD 2,132

$749 MX$12.7K

31.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.7

11.45

-32.75%

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

Last update for Suva: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $894 in Suva versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. 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 32% 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 $45.00 in Suva versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $277 – 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

Suva vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 36%, 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 $1,424 per month in Suva and $1,940 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $949 in Suva and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $949, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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.