Cost of Living Comparison Between Desamparados and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Desamparados and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,573 per month in Desamparados vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,387 per month in Desamparados vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,201 per month in Desamparados vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Desamparados costs about 22% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Desamparados sits 17% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.72 ₡4,429

$11.94 MX$208

-18.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 ₡23.5K

$42.75 MX$744

20.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.21 ₡4,653

$10.59 MX$184

-3.59%

Cappuccino

$3.85 ₡1,752

$3.62 MX$63.0

6.35%

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

$2.07 ₡945

$1.47 MX$25.54

40.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₡745

$0.94 MX$16.41

74.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 ₡1,391

$3.09 MX$53.8

-1.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 ₡2,093

$4.46 MX$77.6

2.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ₡936

$1.43 MX$24.80

44.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 ₡1,262

$1.88 MX$32.79

47.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ₡1,003

$1.63 MX$28.34

34.97%

Eggs

$2.93 ₡1,335

$2.64 MX$45.99

10.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.72 ₡4,426

$8.21 MX$143

18.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 ₡4,205

$8.29 MX$144

11.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.85 ₡6,308

$11.10 MX$193

24.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.47 ₡2,036

$2.65 MX$46.14

68.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 ₡689

$1.50 MX$26.11

0.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.15 ₡1,891

$1.99 MX$34.59

108.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.31 ₡1,509

$2.08 MX$36.13

59.13%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₡1,571

$1.79 MX$31.11

92.74%

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 ₡1,377

$2.18 MX$37.87

38.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 ₡444

$1.08 MX$18.73

-10.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,273

$1.04 MX$18.04

168.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.07 ₡2,311

$3.97 MX$69.1

27.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 ₡6,868

$10.20 MX$178

47.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₡1,031

$1.73 MX$30.04

30.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 ₡1,191

$2.50 MX$43.46

4.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 ₡460

$0.52 MX$9.02

94.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ₡839

$3.14 MX$54.7

-41.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 ₡811

$2.40 MX$41.80

-25.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.76 ₡3,536

$3.09 MX$53.7

151.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ₡664

$1.27 MX$22.16

14.96%

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

$37.2K ₡16.9M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

20.39%

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

$32.5K ₡14.8M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

39.59%

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

$92.0 ₡41.9K

$82.0 MX$1,427

12.21%

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

$25.54 ₡11.6K

$22.45 MX$391

13.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.0 ₡23.7K

$29.66 MX$516

75.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 ₡25.4K

$51.9 MX$903

7.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.32 ₡11.1K

$18.67 MX$325

30.26%

Cinema Ticket

$9.75 ₡4,443

$4.97 MX$86.5

96.18%

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

$535 ₡243.8K

$198 MX$3,442

170.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K ₡5.7M

$5,273 MX$91.7K

136.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 ₡28.6K

$36.34 MX$632

72.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 ₡23.8K

$40.05 MX$697

30.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 ₡57.9K

$79.9 MX$1,390

59.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ₡49.6K

$88.9 MX$1,547

22.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡355.1K

$963 MX$16.8K

-19.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$593 ₡270.3K

$465 MX$8,086

27.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 ₡688.7K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-5.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$974 ₡443.6K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-19.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

11.42

-10.95%

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

Last update for Desamparados: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $780 in Desamparados versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Desamparados versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $251 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Desamparados vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,573 in Desamparados, $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 22% apart. Desamparados costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,360 per month in Desamparados and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Desamparados and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% more in Desamparados, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Desamparados at $1,573. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Desamparados it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,287 in Playa del Carmen to $1,573 in Desamparados. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Desamparados makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.