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 $1,572 per month in Desamparados vs $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Desamparados vs $2,189 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,190 per month in Desamparados vs $3,084 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

Desamparados sits 18% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.09 ₡4,552

$11.73 MX$202

-13.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.8 ₡22.9K

$41.78 MX$719

21.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.99 ₡4,508

$10.41 MX$179

-4.03%

Cappuccino

$3.84 ₡1,734

$3.61 MX$62.1

6.37%

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

$2.05 ₡923

$1.46 MX$25.06

40.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₡719

$0.97 MX$16.70

63.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 ₡1,351

$2.92 MX$50.3

2.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.64 ₡2,095

$4.62 MX$79.5

0.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ₡929

$1.43 MX$24.59

44.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 ₡1,249

$1.90 MX$32.70

45.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ₡1,006

$1.57 MX$26.95

42.04%

Eggs

$2.88 ₡1,301

$2.64 MX$45.34

9.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 ₡4,373

$8.44 MX$145

14.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.98 ₡4,052

$8.58 MX$148

4.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.78 ₡6,215

$11.00 MX$189

25.27%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 ₡2,048

$2.70 MX$46.51

68.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ₡663

$1.51 MX$25.92

-2.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.29 ₡1,935

$1.91 MX$32.93

124.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.21 ₡1,450

$2.17 MX$37.37

47.93%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 ₡1,489

$1.87 MX$32.25

76.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 ₡1,317

$2.23 MX$38.43

30.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₡457

$1.08 MX$18.60

-6.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 ₡1,335

$1.07 MX$18.47

176.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,235

$4.16 MX$71.6

18.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.16 ₡7,744

$10.29 MX$177

66.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₡1,027

$1.68 MX$28.95

35.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 ₡1,182

$2.53 MX$43.59

3.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ₡462

$0.55 MX$9.53

87.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₡842

$3.20 MX$55.0

-41.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 ₡798

$2.46 MX$42.37

-28.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.94 ₡3,584

$3.20 MX$55.0

148.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 ₡627

$1.32 MX$22.72

5.30%

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

$37.1K ₡16.7M

$30.2K MX$518.8K

22.92%

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

$33.0K ₡14.9M

$23.4K MX$402.5K

41.13%

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

$93.8 ₡42.3K

$81.4 MX$1,400

15.27%

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

$26.30 ₡11.9K

$22.41 MX$386

17.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.1 ₡23.9K

$29.97 MX$516

77.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 ₡25.3K

$51.6 MX$887

8.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.00 ₡10.8K

$18.39 MX$316

30.51%

Cinema Ticket

$10.18 ₡4,594

$5.16 MX$88.9

97.29%

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

$521 ₡235.2K

$202 MX$3,471

158.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K ₡5.6M

$5,311 MX$91.4K

133.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 ₡28.1K

$35.61 MX$613

74.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 ₡23.6K

$40.37 MX$695

29.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 ₡57.4K

$78.6 MX$1,353

61.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₡48.0K

$86.9 MX$1,495

22.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$766 ₡345.5K

$950 MX$16.3K

-19.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$592 ₡266.9K

$478 MX$8,227

23.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ₡681.6K

$1,621 MX$27.9K

-6.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$946 ₡426.8K

$1,223 MX$21.0K

-22.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $766 in Desamparados versus $950 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 $51.0 in Desamparados versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $355 vs $254 – 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: $1,572 in Desamparados, $1,294 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 $2,358 per month in Desamparados and $1,941 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 $51.0 in Desamparados and $42.00 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 $1,294, than in Desamparados at $1,572. 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen to $1,572 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.