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: $2,312 in Dededo versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,731 in Dededo versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,149 in Dededo versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Dededo is roughly 78% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dededo is 73% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$205

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$727

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$186

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.5

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

$1.51 MX$26.37

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$17.00

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.8

Milk (1 liter)

$3.25 $3.25

$1.38 MX$24.16

135.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$33.04

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.59

Eggs

$3.37 $3.37

$2.51 MX$43.76

34.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$187

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.48

Banana (1kg)

$3.45 $3.45

$1.46 MX$25.45

136.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.19

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$2.08 MX$36.26

105.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.01

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.16

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.04 MX$18.16

82.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.80

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.04 $9.04

$4.08 MX$71.3

121.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.54 $22.54

$10.32 MX$180

118.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.90

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$57.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.51

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.31 MX$22.83

19.08%

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

$30.3K MX$528.8K

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

$23.4K MX$409.2K

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

$82.9 MX$1,447

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

$22.22 MX$388

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$512

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$189 $189

$51.6 MX$902

266.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.79 $16.79

$18.32 MX$320

-8.35%

Cinema Ticket

$10.89 $10.89

$5.07 MX$88.5

114.79%

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

$397 $397

$201 MX$3,507

97.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$91.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.8 $99.8

$36.92 MX$645

170.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$98.3 $98.3

$39.79 MX$695

146.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 $122

$78.5 MX$1,370

55.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$87.1 MX$1,521

38.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 $1,990

$973 MX$17.0K

104.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,827 $1,827

$468 MX$8,169

290.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,218 $3,218

$1,641 MX$28.7K

96.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,008 $2,008

$1,221 MX$21.3K

64.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,787 $3,787

$664 MX$11.6K

470.34%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,990 in Dededo and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dededo pays 470% 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 78% 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.

Dededo pays 470% more on average, 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: $1,990 in Dededo versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,312 per month in Dededo versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Dededo pay roughly 77% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,312 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 $1,297 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 78% less than in Dededo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.