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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $812 in Diadema versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,306 in Diadema versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,799 in Diadema versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Diadema costs roughly 36% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Diadema 40% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.11 R$36.02

$11.87 MX$204

-40.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.65 R$201

$42.90 MX$736

-7.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.41 R$37.49

$10.65 MX$183

-30.42%

Cappuccino

$1.87 R$9.46

$3.45 MX$59.2

-45.80%

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

$1.25 R$6.32

$1.50 MX$25.81

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 R$4.32

$0.95 MX$16.28

-10.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 R$9.27

$3.03 MX$51.9

-39.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 R$14.73

$4.61 MX$79.1

-36.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 R$5.16

$1.38 MX$23.61

-26.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 R$8.03

$1.85 MX$31.70

-14.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.38

$1.61 MX$27.65

-21.74%

Eggs

$2.40 R$12.14

$2.59 MX$44.51

-7.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.14 R$41.19

$8.26 MX$142

-1.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.82 R$19.35

$8.37 MX$144

-54.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.72 R$44.14

$10.66 MX$183

-18.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 R$11.33

$2.63 MX$45.12

-14.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 R$9.05

$1.49 MX$25.53

20.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.38

$1.92 MX$32.94

-23.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 R$7.69

$2.09 MX$35.81

-27.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.35

$1.86 MX$31.88

-32.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.78

$2.26 MX$38.81

-49.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 R$3.95

$1.06 MX$18.23

-26.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 R$3.26

$1.09 MX$18.67

-41.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.50 R$12.64

$4.15 MX$71.2

-39.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.44 R$42.74

$10.39 MX$178

-18.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 R$6.88

$1.72 MX$29.59

-20.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 R$11.56

$2.61 MX$44.85

-12.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 R$4.71

$0.54 MX$9.30

72.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.85 R$192

$26.94 MX$462

40.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 R$4.37

$3.13 MX$53.7

-72.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 R$3.52

$2.51 MX$43.09

-72.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.85 R$44.81

$3.15 MX$54.1

180.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 R$5.07

$1.27 MX$21.88

-21.26%

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

$22.0K R$111.2K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-27.70%

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

$28.0K R$142.0K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

19.02%

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

$46.99 R$238

$83.0 MX$1,425

-43.39%

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

$13.00 R$65.8

$22.71 MX$390

-42.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.59 R$94.1

$29.46 MX$506

-36.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.45 R$114

$51.0 MX$875

-55.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.58 R$109

$18.33 MX$315

17.73%

Cinema Ticket

$5.47 R$27.67

$4.93 MX$84.5

10.95%

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

$311 R$1,574

$197 MX$3,386

57.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,815 R$34.5K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

29.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 R$264

$36.90 MX$633

41.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.28 R$214

$39.89 MX$685

5.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 R$402

$80.0 MX$1,373

-0.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 R$363

$89.5 MX$1,536

-19.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$313 R$1,584

$956 MX$16.4K

-67.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 R$1,091

$477 MX$8,189

-54.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 R$2,939

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-64.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 R$2,198

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-64.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,203 R$6,088

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-69.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$804 R$4,069

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-87.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$478 R$2,417

$667 MX$11.4K

-28.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

11.42

-4.38%

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

Last update for Diadema: June 9, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $313 in Diadema and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 40% 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: $40.00 in Diadema vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 vs $250 per month, with Diadema 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

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

Diadema is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 40% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $313 in Diadema versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Diadema – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $812 per month in Diadema versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $812 in Diadema versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Diadema but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Diadema the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Diadema is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Diadema gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.