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: $1,218 in Devonport versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,952 in Devonport versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,686 in Devonport versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Devonport costs roughly 7% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Devonport 12% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.09 A$25.23

$11.96 MX$203

51.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.1 A$123

$47.38 MX$804

85.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.40 A$11.71

$11.75 MX$199

-28.51%

Cappuccino

$3.86 A$5.38

$4.12 MX$70.0

-6.31%

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

$2.11 A$2.94

$1.40 MX$23.74

50.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 A$2.53

$0.91 MX$15.48

98.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.28 A$10.15

$3.21 MX$54.4

126.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.45 A$13.18

$7.07 MX$120

33.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 A$2.68

$1.68 MX$28.44

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 A$3.60

$2.15 MX$36.48

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 A$2.63

$1.77 MX$30.10

6.21%

Eggs

$5.48 A$7.64

$2.82 MX$47.76

94.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.97 A$13.90

$9.20 MX$156

8.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.06 A$12.63

$9.23 MX$157

-1.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.08 A$18.23

$12.64 MX$214

3.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 A$4.60

$2.95 MX$50.1

11.86%

Banana (1kg)

$3.39 A$4.72

$1.58 MX$26.79

114.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 A$4.35

$2.22 MX$37.70

40.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.75 A$6.63

$2.36 MX$40.09

101.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 A$3.66

$1.99 MX$33.81

31.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 A$3.23

$1.98 MX$33.58

17.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 A$3.83

$1.24 MX$21.04

121.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 A$2.33

$1.21 MX$20.55

38.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$35.78 A$49.88

$4.60 MX$78.1

677.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.16 A$19.74

$10.52 MX$178

34.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.08 A$7.09

$1.69 MX$28.70

200.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 A$8.13

$2.77 MX$47.06

110.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.59 A$3.61

$0.60 MX$10.22

331.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.57 A$6.37

$5.24 MX$88.8

-12.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 A$3.06

$3.65 MX$61.9

-40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.76 A$38.70

$5.78 MX$98.1

380.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 A$1.83

$1.54 MX$26.09

-14.94%

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

$27.8K A$38.7K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

21.75%

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

$40.3K A$56.2K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

56.15%

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

$233 A$324

$90.7 MX$1,538

156.61%

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

$29.28 A$40.82

$25.19 MX$427

16.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.1 A$86.6

$31.75 MX$539

95.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$17.24 A$24.04

$4.86 MX$82.5

254.73%

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

$2,030 A$2,830

$226 MX$3,828

799.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.6K A$30.1K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

414.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.9 A$113

$47.38 MX$804

70.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.4 A$78.6

$43.45 MX$737

29.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 A$152

$80.2 MX$1,361

35.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 A$182

$91.4 MX$1,550

43.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 A$1,580

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-42.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,399 A$4,739

$773 MX$13.1K

339.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.2

11.45

-45.85%

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

Last update for Devonport: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Devonport pays 340% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $88.0 in Devonport vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $371 vs $278 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 7% in total monthly costs ($1,218 vs $1,305 including rent). Devonport is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 340% higher in Devonport, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 34% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,218 per month in Devonport versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,218 in Devonport versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Devonport but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Devonport 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 Devonport gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.