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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,734 in Dededo versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,899 in Dededo versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,064 in Dededo versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Dededo is roughly 110% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dededo is 98% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.44 $25.44

$11.96 MX$202

112.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.04 $49.04

$47.38 MX$801

3.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.30 $17.30

$11.75 MX$199

47.23%

Cappuccino

$4.54 $4.54

$4.12 MX$69.7

10.19%

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

$1.13 $1.13

$1.40 MX$23.66

-19.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 $0.97

$0.91 MX$15.43

6.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.21 MX$54.2

-13.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

Milk (1 liter)

$7.00 $7.00

$1.68 MX$28.35

316.67%

White Bread (500g)

$8.82 $8.82

$2.15 MX$36.36

310.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.77 MX$30.00

27.68%

Eggs

$7.02 $7.02

$2.82 MX$47.60

148.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.86 $17.86

$9.23 MX$156

93.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

Apples (1kg)

$7.90 $7.90

$2.95 MX$49.90

167.80%

Banana (1kg)

$7.96 $7.96

$1.58 MX$26.70

403.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$10.06 $10.06

$2.22 MX$37.58

353.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.89 $9.89

$2.36 MX$39.96

319.07%

Potato (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$1.99 MX$33.70

216.58%

Onion (1kg)

$8.37 $8.37

$1.98 MX$33.47

322.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.58 $4.58

$1.24 MX$20.97

269.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.21 MX$20.48

62.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.27 $9.27

$4.60 MX$77.8

101.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.39 $23.39

$10.52 MX$178

122.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.69 MX$28.60

50.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 $5.07

$2.77 MX$46.91

83.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.19

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$502

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.5

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.7

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.01

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

$22.8K MX$385.5K

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

$25.8K MX$436.5K

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

$200 $200

$90.7 MX$1,533

120.84%

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

$50.2 $50.2

$25.19 MX$426

99.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.55 $49.55

$31.75 MX$537

56.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,163

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$497

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.2

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

$226 MX$3,816

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$70.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 $59.1

$47.38 MX$801

24.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$99.6 $99.6

$43.45 MX$735

129.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$80.2 MX$1,356

25.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$91.4 MX$1,545

32.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,605 $1,605

$1,086 MX$18.4K

47.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 $1,307

$409 MX$6,910

219.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,224 $3,224

$1,972 MX$33.3K

63.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 $1,992

$1,281 MX$21.7K

55.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,732 $3,732

$773 MX$13.1K

382.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Dededo: September 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,605 in Dededo and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dededo pays 383% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $49.00 in Dededo vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $609 vs $278 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 110% lower than in Dededo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 383% higher in Dededo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,605 in Dededo versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,734 per month in Dededo versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – a 110% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 119% higher in Dededo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,734 in Dededo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Dededo. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,305 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Dededo 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 110% less than in Dededo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.