🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,182 in Dabas versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,726 in Dabas versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,269 in Dabas versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Living in Dabas costs roughly 8% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Dabas12% lower, Playa del Carmen4% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Dabas
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.60Ft 2,683
$11.94MX$209
-27.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.09Ft 10.9K
$42.75MX$748
-17.92%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.60Ft 2,683
$10.59MX$185
-18.79%
Cappuccino
$1.47Ft 459
$3.62MX$63.4
-59.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11Ft 345
$1.47MX$25.69
-24.49%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.45Ft 140
$0.94MX$16.51
-52.13%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.53Ft 478
$3.09MX$54.1
-50.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40Ft 436
$4.46MX$78.0
-68.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dabas
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.11Ft 345
$1.43MX$24.94
-22.38%
White Bread(500g)
$1.41Ft 440
$1.88MX$32.97
-25.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.84Ft 575
$1.63MX$28.50
12.88%
Eggs
$2.44Ft 762
$2.64MX$46.26
-7.58%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.11Ft 2,844
$8.21MX$144
10.96%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.83Ft 1,819
$8.29MX$145
-29.67%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.11Ft 4,402
$11.10MX$194
27.12%
Apples(1kg)
$2.02Ft 632
$2.65MX$46.40
-23.77%
Banana(1kg)
$2.02Ft 630
$1.50MX$26.26
34.67%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.10Ft 654
$1.99MX$34.79
5.53%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.60Ft 1,124
$2.08MX$36.33
73.08%
Potato(1kg)
$1.22Ft 381
$1.79MX$31.29
-31.84%
Onion(1kg)
$1.24Ft 386
$2.18MX$38.09
-43.12%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.78Ft 555
$1.08MX$18.84
64.81%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58Ft 182
$1.04MX$18.15
-44.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.41Ft 2,311
$3.97MX$69.5
86.65%
Wine(Bottle)
$4.92Ft 1,535
$10.20MX$179
-51.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.22Ft 381
$1.73MX$30.22
-29.48%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04Ft 635
$2.50MX$43.71
-18.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Dabas
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.16Ft 362
$0.52MX$9.07
123.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$25.24Ft 7,875
$26.97MX$472
-6.41%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.24Ft 1,012
$3.14MX$55.0
3.18%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.07Ft 333
$2.40MX$42.04
-55.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$22.76Ft 7,100
$3.09MX$54.0
636.57%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.45Ft 453
$1.27MX$22.28
14.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2KFt 8.5M
$30.9KMX$540.4K
-11.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.3KFt 9.8M
$23.3KMX$408.0K
34.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dabas
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$165Ft 51.6K
$82.0MX$1,435
101.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.51Ft 8,583
$22.45MX$393
22.54%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.74Ft 6,159
$29.66MX$519
-33.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dabas
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$46.08Ft 14.4K
$51.9MX$908
-11.16%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.49Ft 5,146
$18.67MX$327
-11.68%
Cinema Ticket
$7.68Ft 2,397
$4.97MX$87.0
54.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dabas
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$401Ft 125.2K
$198MX$3,462
102.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,125Ft 2.2M
$5,273MX$92.3K
35.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dabas
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.6Ft 28.3K
$36.34MX$636
149.31%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.20Ft 13.8K
$40.05MX$701
10.36%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$92.3Ft 28.8K
$79.9MX$1,398
15.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103Ft 32.0K
$88.9MX$1,555
15.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dabas
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$448Ft 139.9K
$963MX$16.9K
-53.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$339Ft 105.6K
$465MX$8,133
-27.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$643Ft 200.7K
$1,596MX$27.9K
-59.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$522Ft 163.0K
$1,209MX$21.2K
-56.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,999Ft 935.7K
$3,942MX$69.0K
-23.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,142Ft 668.4K
$6,448MX$112.8K
-66.78%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dabas
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$720MX$12.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8
11.42
-29.95%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Dabas: April 26, 2026
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $448 in Dabas and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $35.00 in Dabas vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $251 per month, with Dabas cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Dabas vs Playa del Carmen: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Dabas or Playa del Carmen?
Dabas wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Dabas the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Dabas vs Playa del Carmen?
You'd need roughly $1,773 in Dabas and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Dabas vs Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $448 in Dabas versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Dabas vs Playa del Carmen?
A monthly transit pass in Dabas runs roughly 7% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Dabas and Playa del Carmen?
Childcare runs $401 in Dabas versus $198 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Dabas or Playa del Carmen?
At $1,182 in Dabas versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Dabas but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Dabas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Dabas or Playa del Carmen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Dabas delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,182 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Dabas hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Dabas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.