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: $616 in Diadema versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,068 in Diadema versus $2,336 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,519 in Diadema versus $3,341 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Diadema costs roughly 54% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Diadema 55% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.82 R$45.80

$13.02 MX$221

-32.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.30 R$251

$46.25 MX$784

4.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 R$45.90

$12.59 MX$213

-29.79%

Cappuccino

$2.22 R$11.52

$4.00 MX$67.9

-44.50%

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

$1.41 R$7.30

$1.42 MX$24.08

-0.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.51

$0.81 MX$13.73

7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 R$15.03

$3.05 MX$51.7

-5.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 R$21.70

$6.82 MX$116

-38.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 R$6.14

$1.71 MX$29.04

-30.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 R$9.94

$2.22 MX$37.62

-13.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.78

$1.72 MX$29.13

-35.47%

Eggs

$2.63 R$13.67

$2.71 MX$45.99

-2.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.58 R$44.57

$9.37 MX$159

-8.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 R$22.61

$8.86 MX$150

-50.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.04 R$52.2

$12.78 MX$217

-21.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 R$13.64

$3.13 MX$53.0

-15.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 R$8.98

$1.55 MX$26.24

11.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 R$7.71

$2.15 MX$36.51

-31.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 R$9.03

$2.35 MX$39.89

-25.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.75

$2.02 MX$34.23

-35.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 R$6.18

$1.99 MX$33.67

-40.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 R$4.62

$1.24 MX$21.09

-28.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 R$3.97

$1.19 MX$20.21

-35.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 R$13.66

$4.65 MX$78.8

-43.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.75 R$45.42

$10.47 MX$177

-16.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 R$8.42

$1.58 MX$26.82

2.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 R$13.16

$2.92 MX$49.48

-13.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 R$6.35

$5.32 MX$90.2

-77.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.76

$3.72 MX$63.0

-75.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.26 R$48.10

$5.78 MX$97.9

60.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 R$6.19

$1.55 MX$26.27

-23.23%

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

$23.5K R$121.8K

$22.4K MX$379.1K

4.87%

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

$32.2K R$167.1K

$25.6K MX$433.3K

25.82%

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

$44.48 R$231

$89.3 MX$1,513

-50.18%

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

$14.83 R$77.0

$23.30 MX$395

-36.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 R$92.2

$31.72 MX$538

-44.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.00 R$98.7

$68.8 MX$1,165

-72.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 R$38.81

$5.06 MX$85.7

47.63%

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

$424 R$2,201

$222 MX$3,765

90.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,511 R$39.0K

$4,293 MX$72.7K

74.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 R$275

$46.21 MX$783

14.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.7 R$289

$44.43 MX$753

25.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 R$473

$95.5 MX$1,618

-4.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.3 R$422

$92.5 MX$1,568

-12.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,155 R$5,999

$4,037 MX$68.4K

-71.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$782 R$4,060

$6,627 MX$112.3K

-88.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$481 R$2,500

$747 MX$12.7K

-35.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.12

11.6

-4.14%

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

Last update for Diadema: August 16, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 55% 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: $48.00 in Diadema vs $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $211 vs $277, with Diadema cheaper for home cooking.

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, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 116% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 55% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $616 per month in Diadema versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen – a 116% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $616 in Diadema versus $1,330 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 116% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.