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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,701 per month in Whanganui vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,719 per month in Whanganui vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,737 per month in Whanganui vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Whanganui costs about 32% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Whanganui sits 27% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.09 NZ$25.80

$11.94 MX$209

26.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.7 NZ$123

$42.75 MX$748

67.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 NZ$15.28

$10.59 MX$185

-15.58%

Cappuccino

$3.25 NZ$5.55

$3.62 MX$63.4

-10.22%

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

$2.38 NZ$4.07

$1.47 MX$25.69

61.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 NZ$2.84

$0.94 MX$16.51

76.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.85 NZ$8.29

$3.09 MX$54.1

56.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 NZ$9.01

$4.46 MX$78.0

18.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.96

$1.43 MX$24.94

20.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 NZ$2.82

$1.88 MX$32.97

-12.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 NZ$3.40

$1.63 MX$28.50

22.09%

Eggs

$5.88 NZ$10.06

$2.64 MX$46.26

122.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.49 NZ$12.81

$8.21 MX$144

-8.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.31 NZ$15.92

$8.29 MX$145

12.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.52 NZ$21.42

$11.10 MX$194

12.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 NZ$4.07

$2.65 MX$46.40

-10.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 NZ$3.25

$1.50 MX$26.26

26.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 NZ$4.33

$1.99 MX$34.79

27.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 NZ$5.84

$2.08 MX$36.33

63.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 NZ$3.71

$1.79 MX$31.29

21.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NZ$3.70

$2.18 MX$38.09

-0.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 NZ$3.51

$1.08 MX$18.84

89.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 NZ$0.96

$1.04 MX$18.15

-46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.65 NZ$35.32

$3.97 MX$69.5

420.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.53 NZ$18.01

$10.20 MX$179

3.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 NZ$4.33

$1.73 MX$30.22

46.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 NZ$4.49

$2.50 MX$43.71

4.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.14 NZ$3.66

$0.52 MX$9.07

311.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.2 NZ$110

$26.97 MX$472

138.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 NZ$4.75

$3.14 MX$55.0

-11.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 NZ$3.18

$2.40 MX$42.04

-22.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.68 NZ$61.0

$3.09 MX$54.0

1054.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.95

$1.27 MX$22.28

36.22%

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

$27.7K NZ$47.3K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-10.38%

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

$23.2K NZ$39.7K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

-0.39%

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

$117 NZ$200

$82.0 MX$1,435

42.26%

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

$36.89 NZ$63.1

$22.45 MX$393

64.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.38 NZ$82.7

$29.66 MX$519

63.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.83 NZ$63.0

$51.9 MX$908

-29.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.17 NZ$20.81

$18.67 MX$327

-34.82%

Cinema Ticket

$7.45 NZ$12.73

$4.97 MX$87.0

49.90%

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

$362 NZ$620

$198 MX$3,462

83.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K NZ$21.0K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

132.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.5 NZ$117

$36.34 MX$636

88.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.87 NZ$63.1

$40.05 MX$701

-7.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.0 NZ$166

$79.9 MX$1,398

21.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 NZ$216

$88.9 MX$1,555

42.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 NZ$2,097

$963 MX$16.9K

27.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 NZ$1,224

$465 MX$8,133

53.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 NZ$2,729

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-0.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,362 NZ$2,329

$1,209 MX$21.2K

12.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,407 NZ$2,406

$720 MX$12.6K

95.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

11.42

-41.42%

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

Last update for Whanganui: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,226 in Whanganui versus $963 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 95% higher in Whanganui, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $72.0 in Whanganui versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $287 vs $251 – 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

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

Yes – Whanganui is pricier by about 32%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,551 per month in Whanganui and $1,930 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 $1,701 in Whanganui and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 138% 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 $1,287, than in Whanganui at $1,701. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Whanganui 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, Whanganui makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.