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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,354 in Devonport versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,447 in Devonport versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,539 in Devonport versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Devonport is roughly 82% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Devonport is 76% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.06 A$22.38

$11.73 MX$203

36.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.8 A$118

$41.62 MX$720

103.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.51 A$13.26

$10.64 MX$184

-10.62%

Cappuccino

$3.40 A$4.74

$3.52 MX$60.9

-3.41%

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

$2.72 A$3.79

$1.51 MX$26.12

80.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 A$2.52

$0.97 MX$16.84

86.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.30 A$10.17

$2.95 MX$51.0

147.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.82 A$10.90

$4.45 MX$77.0

75.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 A$2.50

$1.38 MX$23.93

30.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 A$3.46

$1.89 MX$32.72

31.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 A$2.46

$1.64 MX$28.32

7.93%

Eggs

$5.08 A$7.07

$2.51 MX$43.34

102.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.85 A$15.11

$8.34 MX$144

30.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.02 A$12.57

$8.34 MX$144

8.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.26 A$22.65

$10.73 MX$186

51.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 A$4.28

$2.60 MX$45.04

18.08%

Banana (1kg)

$3.07 A$4.28

$1.46 MX$25.20

110.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 A$4.57

$1.90 MX$32.87

72.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.73 A$6.59

$2.08 MX$35.91

127.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 A$4.06

$1.78 MX$30.71

63.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 A$3.08

$2.19 MX$37.80

0.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 A$3.87

$1.04 MX$17.99

167.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 A$2.64

$1.08 MX$18.62

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.29 A$36.63

$4.08 MX$70.6

544.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.53 A$20.25

$10.32 MX$178

40.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.39 A$7.51

$1.71 MX$29.61

215.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 A$7.94

$2.58 MX$44.54

120.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 A$3.58

$0.51 MX$8.81

403.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.0 A$89.1

$26.46 MX$458

141.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.28 A$5.97

$3.26 MX$56.4

31.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 A$2.67

$2.49 MX$43.09

-23.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.64 A$34.34

$3.25 MX$56.2

658.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 A$1.68

$1.31 MX$22.61

-8.40%

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

$28.7K A$40.0K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-5.24%

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

$27.0K A$37.7K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

15.39%

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

$278 A$388

$82.9 MX$1,433

235.78%

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

$29.26 A$40.78

$22.22 MX$384

31.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 A$72.3

$29.34 MX$507

76.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.78 A$68.0

$51.6 MX$893

-5.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.80 A$22.02

$18.32 MX$317

-13.76%

Cinema Ticket

$15.65 A$21.81

$5.07 MX$87.6

208.68%

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

$1,708 A$2,381

$201 MX$3,473

750.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K A$16.9K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

133.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 A$90.0

$36.92 MX$639

74.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 A$75.8

$39.79 MX$688

36.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 A$150

$78.5 MX$1,357

37.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 A$155

$87.1 MX$1,506

27.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 A$1,734

$973 MX$16.8K

27.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 A$1,466

$468 MX$8,090

124.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,005 A$2,795

$1,641 MX$28.4K

22.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,704 A$2,375

$1,221 MX$21.1K

39.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,320 A$4,626

$664 MX$11.5K

400.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

11.42

-42.56%

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

Last update for Devonport: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,244 in Devonport and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Devonport pays 400% 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: $85.0 in Devonport vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $381 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

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

Devonport and Playa del Carmen differ by about 82% in total monthly costs ($2,354 vs $1,297 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Devonport pays 400% 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: $1,244 in Devonport 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 $85.0 in Devonport. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,354 per month in Devonport versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 82% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,354 in Devonport, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Devonport. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Devonport 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 82% less than in Devonport. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.