๐A single person spends $395 per month in Dadeldhurฤ vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
๐A couple spends around $654 per month in Dadeldhurฤ vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
๐A family of three spends $913 per month in Dadeldhurฤ vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
๐Dadeldhurฤ is about 70% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐Both Dadeldhurฤ and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median โ Dadeldhurฤ71% lower, Playa del Carmen3% lower.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Dadeldhurฤ
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.79NPRย 272
$11.73MX$203
-84.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.30NPRย 2,938
$41.62MX$720
-53.63%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.51NPRย 990
$10.64MX$184
-38.82%
Cappuccino
$1.48NPRย 225
$3.52MX$60.9
-57.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50NPRย 75.4
$1.51MX$26.12
-66.89%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.17NPRย 25.27
$0.97MX$16.84
-82.47%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.63NPRย 401
$2.95MX$51.0
-10.85%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.62NPRย 551
$4.45MX$77.0
-18.65%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Dadeldhurฤ
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.80NPRย 122
$1.38MX$23.93
-42.03%
White Bread(500g)
$0.59NPRย 90.1
$1.89MX$32.72
-68.78%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.80NPRย 122
$1.64MX$28.32
-51.22%
Eggs
$1.66NPRย 253
$2.51MX$43.34
-33.86%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.50NPRย 1,142
$8.34MX$144
-10.07%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.21NPRย 489
$8.34MX$144
-61.51%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$6.19NPRย 942
$10.73MX$186
-42.31%
Apples(1kg)
$2.17NPRย 331
$2.60MX$45.04
-16.54%
Banana(1kg)
$1.08NPRย 165
$1.46MX$25.20
-26.03%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.19NPRย 181
$1.90MX$32.87
-37.37%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.69NPRย 106
$2.08MX$35.91
-66.83%
Potato(1kg)
$0.49NPRย 75.0
$1.78MX$30.71
-72.47%
Onion(1kg)
$0.69NPRย 105
$2.19MX$37.80
-68.49%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.53NPRย 80.4
$1.04MX$17.99
-49.04%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.27NPRย 41.52
$1.08MX$18.62
-75.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.98NPRย 453
$4.08MX$70.6
-26.96%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$10.32MX$178
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.28NPRย 347
$1.71MX$29.61
33.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31NPRย 504
$2.58MX$44.54
28.29%
๐ Getting Around
Dadeldhurฤ
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.21NPRย 31.55
$0.51MX$8.81
-58.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$26.46MX$458
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.23NPRย 339
$3.26MX$56.4
-31.60%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.76NPRย 115
$2.49MX$43.09
-69.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.59NPRย 547
$3.25MX$56.2
10.46%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.26NPRย 193
$1.31MX$22.61
-3.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.7KNPRย 4.8M
$30.3KMX$523.7K
4.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.1KNPRย 6.3M
$23.4KMX$405.3K
75.56%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dadeldhurฤ
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$26.99NPRย 4,108
$82.9MX$1,433
-67.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.75NPRย 723
$22.22MX$384
-78.62%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.44NPRย 1,437
$29.34MX$507
-67.83%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Dadeldhurฤ
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$18.46NPRย 2,810
$51.6MX$893
-64.25%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.32MX$317
-
Cinema Ticket
$2.71NPRย 413
$5.07MX$87.6
-46.55%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Dadeldhurฤ
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$73.4NPRย 11.2K
$201MX$3,473
-63.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,691NPRย 409.6K
$5,212MX$90.1K
-48.36%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Dadeldhurฤ
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$25.05NPRย 3,813
$36.92MX$639
-32.15%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.23NPRย 4,144
$39.79MX$688
-31.57%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$46.05NPRย 7,010
$78.5MX$1,357
-41.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$29.32NPRย 4,462
$87.1MX$1,506
-66.33%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Dadeldhurฤ
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$107NPRย 16.3K
$973MX$16.8K
-89.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$64.4NPRย 9,798
$468MX$8,090
-86.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$205NPRย 31.2K
$1,641MX$28.4K
-87.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$148NPRย 22.5K
$1,221MX$21.1K
-87.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,946MX$68.3K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$6,498MX$112.4K
-
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Dadeldhurฤ
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$98.6NPRย 15.0K
$664MX$11.5K
-85.15%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
12.08
11.42
5.78%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Dadeldhurฤ: May 31, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A central one-bedroom costs $107 in Dadeldhurฤ versus $973 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.
๐ฐSalaries run about 573% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
๐A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Dadeldhurฤ versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $133 vs $249 โ making Dadeldhurฤ 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
Dadeldhurฤ vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Dadeldhurฤ or Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen costs about 228% more than Dadeldhurฤ, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Dadeldhurฤ vs Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $593 per month in Dadeldhurฤ and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Dadeldhurฤ or Playa del Carmen?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Dadeldhurฤ, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Dadeldhurฤ vs Playa del Carmen?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Dadeldhurฤ and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and cafรฉ pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Dadeldhurฤ or Playa del Carmen?
Groceries cost about 88% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Dadeldhurฤ or Playa del Carmen?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dadeldhurฤ, where all-in costs run around $395, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Dadeldhurฤ it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Dadeldhurฤ or Playa del Carmen?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dadeldhurฤ costs $395 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Dadeldhurฤ compared to Playa del Carmen?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison โ central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Dadeldhurฤ or Playa del Carmen?
If budget matters most, go with Dadeldhurฤ. 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.
Dadeldhurฤ vs other spots: cost of living compared