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: $1,119 in Dealu versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,738 in Dealu versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,357 in Dealu versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Dealu costs roughly 14% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dealu 17% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.45 RON 51.8

$11.73 MX$203

-2.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.5 RON 260

$41.62 MX$720

38.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 RON 37.16

$10.64 MX$184

-22.74%

Cappuccino

$3.36 RON 15.20

$3.52 MX$60.9

-4.55%

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

$2.35 RON 10.61

$1.51 MX$26.12

55.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 RON 10.06

$0.97 MX$16.84

129.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 RON 14.39

$2.95 MX$51.0

7.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 RON 17.19

$4.45 MX$77.0

-14.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 RON 8.12

$1.38 MX$23.93

30.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 RON 6.04

$1.89 MX$32.72

-29.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 RON 8.43

$1.64 MX$28.32

13.41%

Eggs

$3.33 RON 15.07

$2.51 MX$43.34

32.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 RON 43.88

$8.34 MX$144

16.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 RON 32.22

$8.34 MX$144

-14.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.09 RON 54.7

$10.73 MX$186

12.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 RON 5.66

$2.60 MX$45.04

-51.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.76

$1.46 MX$25.20

17.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 RON 7.14

$1.90 MX$32.87

-16.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 RON 10.50

$2.08 MX$35.91

11.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.64

$1.78 MX$30.71

-42.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 RON 4.08

$2.19 MX$37.80

-58.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 RON 4.91

$1.04 MX$17.99

4.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 RON 4.04

$1.08 MX$18.62

-17.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.25 RON 28.23

$4.08 MX$70.6

53.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.57 RON 29.69

$10.32 MX$178

-36.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 RON 5.28

$1.71 MX$29.61

-31.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 RON 9.00

$2.58 MX$44.54

-22.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.22

$0.51 MX$8.81

39.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.94 RON 90.1

$26.46 MX$458

-24.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 RON 4.21

$3.26 MX$56.4

-71.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 RON 3.23

$2.49 MX$43.09

-71.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.26 RON 41.87

$3.25 MX$56.2

184.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 RON 7.42

$1.31 MX$22.61

25.19%

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

$27.5K RON 124.2K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-9.24%

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

$26.3K RON 119.1K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

12.42%

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

$155 RON 703

$82.9 MX$1,433

87.53%

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

$9.09 RON 41.07

$22.22 MX$384

-59.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.97 RON 45.09

$29.34 MX$507

-66.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.03 RON 185

$51.6 MX$893

-20.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.17 RON 86.7

$18.32 MX$317

4.64%

Cinema Ticket

$7.98 RON 36.06

$5.07 MX$87.6

57.40%

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

$483 RON 2,181

$201 MX$3,473

140.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K RON 47.8K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

102.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.7 RON 311

$36.92 MX$639

86.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.00 RON 185

$39.79 MX$688

3.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 RON 391

$78.5 MX$1,357

10.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.9 RON 452

$87.1 MX$1,506

14.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 RON 1,762

$973 MX$16.8K

-59.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 RON 1,295

$468 MX$8,090

-38.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$578 RON 2,611

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-64.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 RON 1,960

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-64.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,905 RON 8,611

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-51.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,584 RON 7,160

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-75.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $390 in Dealu and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $57.0 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 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,678 in Dealu and $1,945 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: $390 in Dealu versus $973 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 $57.0 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 $1,119 per month in Dealu versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,119 in Dealu versus $1,297 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 16% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.