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: $2,421 in Devonport versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,530 in Devonport versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,640 in Devonport versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Devonport is roughly 93% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Devonport is 81% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.43 A$23.53

$11.99 MX$210

37.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.1 A$123

$41.78 MX$733

106.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.79 A$14.03

$10.75 MX$189

-8.93%

Cappuccino

$3.57 A$5.11

$3.50 MX$61.3

2.00%

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

$2.68 A$3.84

$1.45 MX$25.41

84.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 A$2.53

$0.88 MX$15.52

101.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.44 A$10.66

$2.95 MX$51.7

152.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 A$11.50

$4.51 MX$79.1

78.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 A$2.45

$1.43 MX$25.12

19.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 A$3.60

$1.84 MX$32.23

36.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 A$2.48

$1.57 MX$27.51

10.19%

Eggs

$4.91 A$7.03

$2.51 MX$44.06

95.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.05 A$15.83

$8.28 MX$145

33.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.87 A$12.70

$8.43 MX$148

5.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.55 A$23.71

$10.68 MX$187

54.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 A$4.45

$2.61 MX$45.76

19.16%

Banana (1kg)

$3.19 A$4.56

$1.44 MX$25.22

121.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 A$4.84

$1.96 MX$34.41

72.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 A$6.59

$2.09 MX$36.74

120.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 A$4.13

$1.85 MX$32.47

55.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 A$3.32

$2.17 MX$38.02

6.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.72 A$3.90

$1.03 MX$18.09

164.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 A$2.72

$1.07 MX$18.84

77.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.81 A$36.97

$4.10 MX$72.0

529.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.71 A$19.64

$10.17 MX$178

34.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.21 A$7.46

$1.68 MX$29.38

210.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.63 A$8.07

$2.53 MX$44.31

122.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 A$3.65

$0.51 MX$8.93

400.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.2 A$94.8

$26.04 MX$457

154.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 A$5.97

$3.23 MX$56.7

29.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 A$2.71

$2.41 MX$42.19

-21.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.26 A$36.20

$3.23 MX$56.6

682.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 A$1.73

$1.32 MX$23.17

-8.33%

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

$29.0K A$41.6K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-2.28%

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

$26.9K A$38.5K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

13.60%

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

$272 A$390

$82.0 MX$1,439

231.91%

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

$30.13 A$43.16

$22.95 MX$403

31.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.3 A$76.3

$30.11 MX$528

76.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.73 A$69.8

$52.0 MX$912

-6.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.42 A$22.09

$18.53 MX$325

-16.78%

Cinema Ticket

$16.04 A$22.97

$4.98 MX$87.3

222.09%

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

$1,718 A$2,461

$197 MX$3,463

769.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K A$17.2K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

125.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 A$93.7

$35.60 MX$624

83.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 A$76.8

$40.33 MX$707

32.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 A$157

$78.8 MX$1,381

39.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 A$163

$88.9 MX$1,560

27.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,258 A$1,803

$947 MX$16.6K

32.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,056 A$1,513

$474 MX$8,314

122.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,015 A$2,887

$1,644 MX$28.8K

22.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,671 A$2,393

$1,211 MX$21.2K

38.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,253 A$4,661

$654 MX$11.5K

397.52%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,258 in Devonport and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Devonport pays 398% 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: $86.0 in Devonport vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $379 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 93% in total monthly costs ($2,421 vs $1,256 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 398% higher in Devonport, 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: $1,258 in Devonport versus $947 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 $86.0 in Devonport. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,421 per month in Devonport versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 93% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,421 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 93% less than in Devonport. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.