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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,127 in Dealu versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,723 in Dealu versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,319 in Dealu versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Dealu costs roughly 10% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dealu 16% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.63 RON 53.3

$11.99 MX$210

-3.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.3 RON 267

$41.78 MX$733

39.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.15 RON 37.39

$10.75 MX$189

-24.19%

Cappuccino

$3.41 RON 15.66

$3.50 MX$61.3

-2.57%

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

$2.31 RON 10.59

$1.45 MX$25.41

59.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 RON 10.24

$0.88 MX$15.52

153.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 RON 14.89

$2.95 MX$51.7

10.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 RON 18.43

$4.51 MX$79.1

-10.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 RON 8.22

$1.43 MX$25.12

25.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 RON 5.91

$1.84 MX$32.23

-29.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 RON 8.63

$1.57 MX$27.51

19.75%

Eggs

$3.22 RON 14.76

$2.51 MX$44.06

28.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.93 RON 45.52

$8.28 MX$145

19.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.25 RON 33.25

$8.43 MX$148

-14.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.04 RON 55.2

$10.68 MX$187

12.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 RON 5.50

$2.61 MX$45.76

-54.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 RON 8.13

$1.44 MX$25.22

22.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 RON 7.55

$1.96 MX$34.41

-15.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 RON 10.97

$2.09 MX$36.74

14.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.33

$1.85 MX$32.47

-49.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.26

$2.17 MX$38.02

-57.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 RON 4.79

$1.03 MX$18.09

1.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 RON 4.11

$1.07 MX$18.84

-15.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 RON 30.16

$4.10 MX$72.0

60.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.37 RON 29.24

$10.17 MX$178

-37.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 RON 5.11

$1.68 MX$29.38

-33.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 RON 9.34

$2.53 MX$44.31

-19.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 RON 3.29

$0.51 MX$8.93

41.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.49 RON 89.4

$26.04 MX$457

-25.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 RON 4.64

$3.23 MX$56.7

-68.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 RON 3.22

$2.41 MX$42.19

-70.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.47 RON 43.42

$3.23 MX$56.6

193.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 RON 7.59

$1.32 MX$23.17

25.00%

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

$28.4K RON 130.4K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-4.25%

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

$26.7K RON 122.6K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

13.00%

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

$159 RON 730

$82.0 MX$1,439

94.21%

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

$9.06 RON 41.54

$22.95 MX$403

-60.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.03 RON 46.01

$30.11 MX$528

-66.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.06 RON 193

$52.0 MX$912

-19.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.16 RON 87.9

$18.53 MX$325

3.40%

Cinema Ticket

$7.99 RON 36.64

$4.98 MX$87.3

60.44%

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

$480 RON 2,201

$197 MX$3,463

143.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K RON 49.8K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

103.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.6 RON 324

$35.60 MX$624

98.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.02 RON 184

$40.33 MX$707

-0.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 RON 394

$78.8 MX$1,381

9.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100.0 RON 459

$88.9 MX$1,560

12.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$384 RON 1,760

$947 MX$16.6K

-59.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 RON 1,311

$474 MX$8,314

-39.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$594 RON 2,722

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-63.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$438 RON 2,007

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-63.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,843 RON 8,450

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-54.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,602 RON 7,346

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-75.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

11.42

-48.77%

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

Last update for Dealu: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $384 in Dealu and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $58.0 in Dealu vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $231 vs $249, with Dealu cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Dealu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,690 in Dealu and $1,884 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $384 in Dealu versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Dealu – a meal for two runs $58.0 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,127 per month in Dealu versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,127 in Dealu versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dealu but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Dealu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dealu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Dealu and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Dealu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.