Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between DeLand, FL and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,671 in DeLand, FL, rent and utilities included – about $17,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

DeLand, FL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,671
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in DeLand, FL and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in DeLand, FL and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,671 in DeLand, FL versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen.

  • DeLand, FL $2,671
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,877 in DeLand, FL versus $2,102 in Playa del Carmen.

  • DeLand, FL $3,877
  • Playa del Carmen $2,102

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,082 in DeLand, FL versus $3,000 in Playa del Carmen.

  • DeLand, FL $5,082
  • Playa del Carmen $3,000

Living in DeLand, FL is roughly 122% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: DeLand, FL is 97% above, Playa del Carmen is 11% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
DeLand, FL
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.67 $19.67
$10.86 MX$201
81.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.3 $80.3
$44.21 MX$817
81.66%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.18 $11.18
$11.76 MX$217
-4.93%
Cappuccino
$5.45 $5.45
$3.68 MX$68.0
48.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72 $2.72
$1.34 MX$24.79
102.99%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01 $2.01
$0.82 MX$15.24
145.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.15 $6.15
$3.06 MX$56.6
100.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.94 $7.94
$4.94 MX$91.2
60.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
DeLand, FL
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.35 $1.35
$1.47 MX$27.17
-8.16%
White Bread (500g)
$3.60 $3.60
$2.22 MX$40.95
62.16%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.62 $2.62
$1.48 MX$27.32
77.03%
Eggs
$2.90 $2.90
$2.49 MX$45.99
16.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.61 $12.61
$7.52 MX$139
67.69%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.38 $11.38
$7.96 MX$147
42.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.41 $20.41
$12.57 MX$232
62.37%
Apples (1kg)
$5.01 $5.01
$2.78 MX$51.3
80.22%
Banana (1kg)
$0.90 $0.90
$1.43 MX$26.37
-37.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.19 $4.19
$2.62 MX$48.37
59.92%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.79 $4.79
$2.14 MX$39.49
123.83%
Potato (1kg)
$2.74 $2.74
$2.02 MX$37.38
35.64%
Onion (1kg)
$3.93 $3.93
$1.99 MX$36.74
97.49%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.28 $2.28
$1.14 MX$21.01
100.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.91 $1.91
$1.20 MX$22.18
59.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.77 $9.77
$4.26 MX$78.7
129.34%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.10 $18.10
$10.02 MX$185
80.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.94 $1.94
$1.54 MX$28.41
25.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.33 $3.33
$2.66 MX$49.17
25.19%
🚌 Getting Around
DeLand, FL
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.97 $1.97
$0.53 MX$9.73
271.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$27.51 MX$508
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.97 $2.97
$4.90 MX$90.6
-39.39%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.75 $1.75
$3.43 MX$63.5
-48.98%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.49 $29.49
$5.38 MX$99.4
448.14%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.05 $1.05
$1.45 MX$26.76
-27.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.4K $25.4K
$21.2K MX$391.0K
20.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5K $22.5K
$23.0K MX$425.3K
-2.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
DeLand, FL
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$279 $279
$85.4 MX$1,577
227.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$58.0 $58.0
$23.46 MX$434
147.23%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.8 $69.8
$28.43 MX$525
145.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
DeLand, FL
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.05 $30.05
$62.2 MX$1,149
-51.68%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$28.68 MX$530
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.85 $14.85
$5.10 MX$94.3
191.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
DeLand, FL
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,408 $1,408
$201 MX$3,715
600.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$26.0K $26.0K
$3,947 MX$72.9K
558.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
DeLand, FL
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.1 $54.1
$44.39 MX$820
21.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.68 $41.68
$41.35 MX$764
0.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 $101
$72.7 MX$1,344
38.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$115 $115
$89.6 MX$1,656
28.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
DeLand, FL
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,629 $1,629
$979 MX$18.1K
66.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,323 $1,323
$373 MX$6,887
254.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,496 $2,496
$1,681 MX$31.1K
48.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,174 $2,174
$1,095 MX$20.2K
98.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,129 $3,129
$3,949 MX$73.0K
-20.76%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,184 $2,184
$6,137 MX$113.4K
-64.40%
💵 Salaries & Financials
DeLand, FL
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$738 MX$13.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.35
11.45
-35.81%

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

Last update for DeLand, FL: October 20, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
DeLand, FL
$1.3K
Playa del Carmen
$373 71.8% $950
Monthly Utilities & Internet
DeLand, FL
$407
Playa del Carmen
$137 66.3% $270
Groceries & Markets
DeLand, FL
$399
Playa del Carmen
$258 35.3% $141
Eating Out
DeLand, FL
$322
Playa del Carmen
$200 37.8% $122
Clothing & Footwear
DeLand, FL
$140
Playa del Carmen
$112 20.4% $29
Sport & Entertainment
DeLand, FL
$60
Playa del Carmen
$72 21.2% $13
Getting Around
DeLand, FL
$20 *
Playa del Carmen
$52 164% $32

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,629 in DeLand, FL and $979 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $80.0 in DeLand, FL vs $44.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $399 vs $258 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 DeLand, FL
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
11:41 11:41 AM
10:41 10:41 AM
1 h behind DeLand, FL
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
37,351
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • DeLand, FL Playa del Carmen 1,100 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • DeLand, FL
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
DeLand, FL vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than DeLand, FL?
Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 122% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $4,006 in DeLand, FL and $1,806 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.
What is the rent difference between DeLand, FL and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,629 in DeLand, FL versus $979 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in DeLand, FL and in Playa del Carmen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 55% higher in DeLand, FL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in DeLand, FL and in Playa del Carmen?
All in, you'll spend $2,671 per month in DeLand, FL versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen – a 122% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in DeLand, FL or in Playa del Carmen?
At $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,671 in DeLand, FL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in DeLand, FL. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is DeLand, FL or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in DeLand, FL, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 122% less than in DeLand, FL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

DeLand, FL vs other spots: cost of living compared

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