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: $2,367 in Dededo versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,772 in Dededo versus $2,177 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,177 in Dededo versus $3,095 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Dededo is roughly 88% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dededo is 77% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 MX$209

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 MX$734

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 MX$182

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.5

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

$1.52 MX$26.56

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.95

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$53.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.5

Milk (1 liter)

$3.29 $3.29

$1.42 MX$24.89

131.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$32.07

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.63

Eggs

$3.52 $3.52

$2.54 MX$44.48

38.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MX$150

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$149

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 MX$189

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$48.25

Banana (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$1.44 MX$25.16

138.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MX$33.04

Tomato (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$2.17 MX$38.01

105.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.17

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.96

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.07 MX$18.72

81.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.91

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.94 $8.94

$4.15 MX$72.6

115.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 $23.07

$10.45 MX$183

120.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.53

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$45.21

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.99

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$454

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 MX$56.2

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.83

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.26 MX$22.01

24.60%

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

$29.7K MX$520.0K

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

$23.7K MX$414.8K

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

$82.0 MX$1,437

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

$22.73 MX$398

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 MX$515

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$187 $187

$52.2 MX$914

258.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.79 $16.79

$18.45 MX$323

-9.00%

Cinema Ticket

$11.01 $11.01

$4.93 MX$86.4

123.33%

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

$399 $399

$202 MX$3,534

97.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$91.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 $101

$35.93 MX$629

180.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$99.1 $99.1

$40.33 MX$706

145.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 $121

$79.9 MX$1,399

51.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$89.3 MX$1,564

32.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,003 $2,003

$948 MX$16.6K

111.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,829 $1,829

$465 MX$8,150

293.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,238 $3,238

$1,630 MX$28.5K

98.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,001 $2,001

$1,193 MX$20.9K

67.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,764 $3,764

$658 MX$11.5K

471.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Dededo: July 22, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,003 in Dededo and $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dededo pays 472% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 88% 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 472% 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: $2,003 in Dededo versus $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,367 per month in Dededo versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen – a 88% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Dededo pay roughly 75% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,367 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 $1,259 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 88% less than in Dededo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.