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: $810 in Diadema versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,317 in Diadema versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,823 in Diadema versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Diadema costs roughly 37% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Diadema 39% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.09 R$35.38

$11.94 MX$209

-40.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.87 R$199

$42.75 MX$748

-6.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.02 R$35.04

$10.59 MX$185

-33.71%

Cappuccino

$1.87 R$9.34

$3.62 MX$63.4

-48.34%

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

$1.21 R$6.01

$1.47 MX$25.69

-17.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.50

$0.94 MX$16.51

-4.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.78

$3.09 MX$54.1

-43.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 R$14.55

$4.46 MX$78.0

-34.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 R$5.09

$1.43 MX$24.94

-28.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 R$7.89

$1.88 MX$32.97

-15.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.55

$1.63 MX$28.50

-19.63%

Eggs

$2.35 R$11.74

$2.64 MX$46.26

-10.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 R$39.79

$8.21 MX$144

-2.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 R$19.42

$8.29 MX$145

-53.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.57 R$42.79

$11.10 MX$194

-22.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 R$10.97

$2.65 MX$46.40

-16.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 R$8.75

$1.50 MX$26.26

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 R$7.25

$1.99 MX$34.79

-27.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 R$8.00

$2.08 MX$36.33

-23.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.24

$1.79 MX$31.29

-30.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 R$5.41

$2.18 MX$38.09

-50.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 R$3.79

$1.08 MX$18.84

-29.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 R$3.25

$1.04 MX$18.15

-37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.49 R$12.41

$3.97 MX$69.5

-37.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.43 R$47.04

$10.20 MX$179

-7.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 R$6.80

$1.73 MX$30.22

-21.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 R$11.96

$2.50 MX$43.71

-4.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 R$4.68

$0.52 MX$9.07

80.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.96 R$194

$26.97 MX$472

44.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 R$4.32

$3.14 MX$55.0

-72.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.55

$2.40 MX$42.04

-70.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.76 R$43.74

$3.09 MX$54.0

183.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 R$5.06

$1.27 MX$22.28

-20.47%

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

$22.0K R$109.6K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-28.87%

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

$28.9K R$144.4K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

24.12%

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

$46.77 R$233

$82.0 MX$1,435

-42.97%

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

$13.05 R$65.1

$22.45 MX$393

-41.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.01 R$94.9

$29.66 MX$519

-35.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.35 R$112

$51.9 MX$908

-56.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.23 R$106

$18.67 MX$327

13.71%

Cinema Ticket

$5.49 R$27.40

$4.97 MX$87.0

10.46%

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

$318 R$1,588

$198 MX$3,462

60.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,901 R$34.4K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

30.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 R$255

$36.34 MX$636

40.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.58 R$207

$40.05 MX$701

3.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.4 R$386

$79.9 MX$1,398

-3.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.0 R$364

$88.9 MX$1,555

-17.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 R$1,583

$963 MX$16.9K

-67.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 R$1,070

$465 MX$8,133

-53.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 R$2,918

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-63.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 R$2,143

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-64.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,226 R$6,118

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-68.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$820 R$4,094

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-87.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$506 R$2,525

$720 MX$12.6K

-29.76%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $317 in Diadema and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 42% 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 $192 vs $251 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 59% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 42% 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: $317 in Diadema versus $963 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 $810 per month in Diadema versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 59% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $810 in Diadema versus $1,287 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 59% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.