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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,199 per month in Wagga Wagga vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,911 per month in Wagga Wagga vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,623 per month in Wagga Wagga vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Wagga Wagga costs about 75% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Wagga Wagga sits 65% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.71 A$18.03

$11.72 MX$203

8.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.2 A$124

$41.89 MX$725

108.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.65 A$13.69

$10.51 MX$182

-8.18%

Cappuccino

$3.43 A$4.87

$3.59 MX$62.0

-4.46%

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

$2.69 A$3.82

$1.51 MX$26.10

78.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 A$3.18

$0.92 MX$15.83

143.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.47 A$9.18

$2.96 MX$51.2

118.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.67 A$10.88

$4.41 MX$76.3

73.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 A$1.91

$1.40 MX$24.16

-3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 A$3.69

$1.88 MX$32.60

38.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 A$2.61

$1.56 MX$26.97

17.95%

Eggs

$4.08 A$5.79

$2.61 MX$45.14

56.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.99 A$14.17

$8.32 MX$144

20.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 A$9.49

$8.35 MX$145

-19.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.93 A$21.19

$10.86 MX$188

37.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.72

$2.71 MX$46.93

22.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.96 A$4.20

$1.51 MX$26.04

96.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 A$4.36

$1.87 MX$32.41

64.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 A$6.79

$2.19 MX$37.89

118.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 A$3.36

$1.86 MX$32.14

27.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 A$2.99

$2.23 MX$38.59

-5.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 A$3.38

$1.07 MX$18.48

122.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 A$1.82

$1.09 MX$18.79

17.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.83 A$43.74

$4.19 MX$72.4

635.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.32 A$20.33

$10.43 MX$180

37.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.15

$1.66 MX$28.68

203.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.12 A$8.69

$2.61 MX$45.19

134.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 A$3.71

$0.54 MX$9.37

385.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.4 A$92.8

$26.16 MX$453

150.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 A$5.79

$3.08 MX$53.3

32.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 A$2.44

$2.40 MX$41.61

-28.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.75 A$22.34

$3.13 MX$54.1

403.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 A$1.60

$1.31 MX$22.69

-13.74%

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

$28.6K A$40.5K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-4.14%

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

$23.0K A$32.7K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

-1.21%

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

$123 A$175

$81.3 MX$1,406

51.57%

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

$22.55 A$32.00

$22.56 MX$390

-0.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.0 A$73.8

$30.05 MX$520

72.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.81 A$69.3

$52.9 MX$915

-7.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.46 A$21.94

$18.39 MX$318

-15.93%

Cinema Ticket

$13.73 A$19.49

$4.92 MX$85.1

179.07%

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

$1,275 A$1,809

$201 MX$3,474

534.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K A$18.8K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

155.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.1 A$101

$35.92 MX$622

97.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.2 A$79.7

$40.13 MX$694

39.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.5 A$137

$79.7 MX$1,379

21.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 A$161

$86.5 MX$1,496

30.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 A$1,757

$978 MX$16.9K

26.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 A$1,520

$470 MX$8,140

127.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 A$2,007

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-14.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,044 A$1,481

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-13.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,551 A$5,038

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-10.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,433 A$3,452

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-63.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.29

11.42

-44.92%

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

Last update for Wagga Wagga: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,238 in Wagga Wagga versus $978 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $87.0 in Wagga Wagga versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $344 vs $252 – making Playa del Carmen 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

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

Yes – Wagga Wagga is pricier by about 75%, 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 $3,299 per month in Wagga Wagga and $1,890 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 Playa del Carmen, 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 $2,199 in Wagga Wagga and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 150% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Wagga Wagga at $2,199. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wagga Wagga it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Wagga Wagga makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.