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: $2,175 in Des Moines, IA versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,225 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,274 in Des Moines, IA versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Des Moines, IA is roughly 68% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Des Moines, IA is 58% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.96 $19.96

$11.71 MX$198

70.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.3 $80.3

$46.59 MX$786

72.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.18 $12.18

$11.65 MX$197

4.55%

Cappuccino

$6.07 $6.07

$4.09 MX$69.1

48.41%

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

$2.95 $2.95

$1.37 MX$23.20

115.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$0.83 MX$14.07

195.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.96 $4.96

$3.35 MX$56.6

48.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.66 $5.66

$6.91 MX$117

-18.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.73 MX$29.15

-46.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.26 MX$38.15

32.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$1.77 MX$29.86

88.70%

Eggs

$3.89 $3.89

$2.73 MX$46.12

42.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.72 $9.72

$9.18 MX$155

5.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 $9.56

$8.92 MX$151

7.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.62 $13.62

$12.60 MX$213

8.10%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$3.02 MX$51.0

46.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.57 MX$26.51

-3.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.13 MX$35.88

109.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.85 $3.85

$2.26 MX$38.22

70.35%

Potato (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$2.00 MX$33.82

61.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.06 MX$34.85

7.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.18 MX$19.91

103.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.20 MX$20.32

76.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.01 $8.01

$4.63 MX$78.2

73.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.12 $15.12

$10.69 MX$180

41.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.62 MX$27.33

4.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.88 MX$48.63

6.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 $1.77

$0.57 MX$9.68

210.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.0 $59.0

$29.83 MX$503

97.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 $2.03

$5.45 MX$91.9

-62.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 $1.21

$3.70 MX$62.5

-67.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.07 $20.07

$5.98 MX$101

235.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.55 MX$26.22

-41.94%

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

$35.1K $35.1K

$22.3K MX$376.8K

57.16%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$25.9K MX$438.0K

-5.58%

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

$184 $184

$89.1 MX$1,504

106.42%

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

$53.6 $53.6

$25.04 MX$423

114.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.1 $70.1

$31.50 MX$532

122.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.8 $64.8

$67.8 MX$1,144

-4.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.02 $20.02

$28.92 MX$488

-30.77%

Cinema Ticket

$15.20 $15.20

$5.05 MX$85.2

200.99%

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

$1,136 $1,136

$225 MX$3,797

405.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K $12.0K

$4,222 MX$71.3K

183.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 $61.4

$47.44 MX$801

29.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.74 $42.74

$44.98 MX$759

-4.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 $105

$82.0 MX$1,384

28.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$92.1 MX$1,555

56.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,146 $1,146

$1,069 MX$18.0K

7.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$853 $853

$405 MX$6,842

110.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,686 $1,686

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-12.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,432 $1,432

$1,301 MX$22.0K

10.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,336 $2,336

$3,995 MX$67.4K

-41.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,281 $2,281

$6,626 MX$111.8K

-65.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,859 $3,859

$749 MX$12.6K

415.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.03

11.45

-47.34%

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

Last update for Des Moines, IA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,146 in Des Moines, IA and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 415% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $348 vs $277 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 68% 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.

Average pay runs 415% higher in Des Moines, IA, 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: $1,146 in Des Moines, IA versus $1,069 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 $47.00 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 $2,175 per month in Des Moines, IA versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 68% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,175 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 $1,293 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 68% less than in Des Moines, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.