Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Moines, IA and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Moines, IA and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,037 in Des Moines, IA versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,079 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,122 in Des Moines, IA versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Des Moines, IA is roughly 57% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Des Moines, IA is 52% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 $15.78

$11.73 MX$205

34.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.3 $80.3

$41.62 MX$727

92.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.14 $12.14

$10.64 MX$186

14.10%

Cappuccino

$4.83 $4.83

$3.52 MX$61.5

37.22%

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

$2.32 $2.32

$1.51 MX$26.37

53.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$0.97 MX$17.00

97.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.02 $5.02

$2.95 MX$51.5

70.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 $7.13

$4.45 MX$77.8

60.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.38 MX$24.16

-29.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.89 MX$33.04

34.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.64 MX$28.59

36.59%

Eggs

$3.53 $3.53

$2.51 MX$43.76

40.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.58 $12.58

$8.34 MX$146

50.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.56 $10.56

$8.34 MX$146

26.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$10.73 MX$187

22.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$2.60 MX$45.48

67.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.46 MX$25.45

2.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 $3.77

$1.90 MX$33.19

98.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.56 $3.56

$2.08 MX$36.26

71.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.78 MX$31.01

-9.55%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.19 MX$38.16

38.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.04 MX$18.16

115.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.08 MX$18.80

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.28 $7.28

$4.08 MX$71.3

78.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.29 $15.29

$10.32 MX$180

48.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.71 MX$29.90

3.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 $3.97

$2.58 MX$44.98

53.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 $1.72

$0.51 MX$8.90

237.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.1 $58.1

$26.46 MX$462

119.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 $2.04

$3.26 MX$57.0

-37.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 $1.27

$2.49 MX$43.51

-49.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.89 $19.89

$3.25 MX$56.7

512.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.31 MX$22.83

-41.22%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$30.3K MX$528.8K

-14.02%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$23.4K MX$409.2K

5.90%

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

$143 $143

$82.9 MX$1,447

72.44%

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

$51.9 $51.9

$22.22 MX$388

133.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.3 $53.3

$29.34 MX$512

81.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.9 $67.9

$51.6 MX$902

31.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.05 $20.05

$18.32 MX$320

9.44%

Cinema Ticket

$15.11 $15.11

$5.07 MX$88.5

198.03%

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

$1,371 $1,371

$201 MX$3,507

582.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K $11.8K

$5,212 MX$91.0K

126.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 $53.5

$36.92 MX$645

44.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.62 $42.62

$39.79 MX$695

7.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.3 $73.3

$78.5 MX$1,370

-6.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 $128

$87.1 MX$1,521

46.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 $1,247

$973 MX$17.0K

28.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$914 $914

$468 MX$8,169

95.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,729 $1,729

$1,641 MX$28.7K

5.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,484 $1,484

$1,221 MX$21.3K

21.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,304 $2,304

$3,946 MX$68.9K

-41.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,327 $2,327

$6,498 MX$113.5K

-64.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,631 $3,631

$664 MX$11.6K

446.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

11.42

-43.08%

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

Last update for Des Moines, IA: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,247 in Des Moines, IA and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 447% 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: $80.0 in Des Moines, IA vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $332 vs $249 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

Des Moines, IA vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 57% lower than in Des Moines, IA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Des Moines, IA pays 447% 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: $1,247 in Des Moines, IA 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 Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $80.0 in Des Moines, IA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,037 per month in Des Moines, IA versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,037 in Des Moines, IA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Des Moines, IA. 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, Des Moines, IA 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 57% less than in Des Moines, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.