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: $2,077 in Des Moines, IA versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,127 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,130 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,176 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,999 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Des Moines, IA is roughly 65% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Des Moines, IA is 55% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.83 $15.83

$11.67 MX$202

35.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 $78.5

$41.88 MX$726

87.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.96 $11.96

$10.40 MX$180

15.00%

Cappuccino

$4.90 $4.90

$3.61 MX$62.6

35.73%

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

$2.31 $2.31

$1.47 MX$25.45

57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$0.91 MX$15.80

110.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.03 MX$52.6

69.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 $6.94

$4.47 MX$77.4

55.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.38 MX$23.83

-28.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.84 MX$31.93

32.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.61 MX$27.82

38.51%

Eggs

$3.65 $3.65

$2.57 MX$44.52

42.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.83 $12.83

$8.49 MX$147

51.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.59 $10.59

$8.49 MX$147

24.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.72 $12.72

$10.99 MX$190

15.74%

Apples (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$2.73 MX$47.25

68.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.50 MX$25.92

-0.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 $3.77

$1.96 MX$33.93

92.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.12 MX$36.70

62.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.86 MX$32.30

-9.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.17 MX$37.67

35.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.07 MX$18.59

115.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.05 MX$18.18

7.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.98 $6.98

$4.19 MX$72.6

66.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.86 $14.86

$10.28 MX$178

44.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.67 MX$28.87

0.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 $3.95

$2.49 MX$43.12

58.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 $1.80

$0.54 MX$9.37

233.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.7 $57.7

$26.27 MX$455

119.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.10 MX$53.8

-36.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 $1.26

$2.46 MX$42.66

-48.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.93 $19.93

$3.24 MX$56.1

515.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.26 MX$21.83

-34.92%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$30.2K MX$522.8K

-12.19%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$23.4K MX$406.3K

6.09%

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

$148 $148

$84.0 MX$1,456

75.83%

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

$50.3 $50.3

$22.21 MX$385

126.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 $52.8

$29.65 MX$514

78.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.9 $67.9

$52.6 MX$912

28.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.01 $20.01

$18.34 MX$318

9.11%

Cinema Ticket

$15.07 $15.07

$4.95 MX$85.7

204.44%

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

$1,391 $1,391

$198 MX$3,438

601.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K $11.9K

$5,322 MX$92.2K

124.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.9 $52.9

$35.95 MX$623

47.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.50 $42.50

$40.06 MX$694

6.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.9 $73.9

$78.8 MX$1,365

-6.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 $124

$86.5 MX$1,499

43.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 $1,209

$977 MX$16.9K

23.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$897 $897

$471 MX$8,158

90.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,788 $1,788

$1,595 MX$27.6K

12.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,514 $1,514

$1,215 MX$21.1K

24.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,334 $2,334

$4,032 MX$69.9K

-42.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,352 $2,352

$6,579 MX$114.0K

-64.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,564 $3,564

$714 MX$12.4K

399.02%

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: April 22, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,209 in Des Moines, IA and $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 399% 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: $79 in Des Moines, IA vs $42 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $331 vs $252 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 65% 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 399% 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: $1,209 in Des Moines, IA versus $977 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 $79.0 in Des Moines, IA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,077 per month in Des Moines, IA versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen – a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,077 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 $1,261 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 65% less than in Des Moines, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.