Cost of Living Comparison Between Dickinson, ND and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Dickinson, ND and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,603 in Dickinson, ND versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,735 in Dickinson, ND versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,868 in Dickinson, ND versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Dickinson, ND is roughly 107% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dickinson, ND is 96% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 $18.74

$11.72 MX$203

59.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 $74.0

$41.89 MX$725

76.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.12 $11.12

$10.51 MX$182

5.80%

Cappuccino

$4.95 $4.95

$3.59 MX$62.0

37.88%

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

$2.47 $2.47

$1.51 MX$26.10

63.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.92 MX$15.83

121.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.02 $6.02

$2.96 MX$51.2

103.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$4.41 MX$76.3

62.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.40 MX$24.16

-25.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.48 $3.48

$1.88 MX$32.60

85.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.56 MX$26.97

90.38%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$2.61 MX$45.14

59.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.40 $12.40

$8.32 MX$144

49.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.57 $11.57

$8.35 MX$145

38.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.21 $15.21

$10.86 MX$188

40.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$2.71 MX$46.93

76.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.51 MX$26.04

5.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.87 MX$32.41

32.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 $4.81

$2.19 MX$37.89

119.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.86 MX$32.14

48.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.23 MX$38.59

30.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.07 MX$18.48

94.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.09 MX$18.79

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.45 $9.45

$4.19 MX$72.4

125.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$10.43 MX$180

42.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.66 MX$28.68

6.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.61 MX$45.19

32.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.54 MX$9.37

274.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 $3.58

$3.08 MX$53.3

16.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.40 MX$41.61

-30.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.06 $29.06

$3.13 MX$54.1

828.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.31 MX$22.69

-35.11%

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

$30.1K $30.1K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

0.88%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

9.70%

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

$184 $184

$81.3 MX$1,406

126.55%

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

$52.1 $52.1

$22.56 MX$390

130.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 $68.3

$30.05 MX$520

127.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.36 $43.36

$52.9 MX$915

-18.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$13.43 $13.43

$4.92 MX$85.1

172.97%

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

$1,311 $1,311

$201 MX$3,474

552.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

354.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 $50.9

$35.92 MX$622

41.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.61 $39.61

$40.13 MX$694

-1.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.5 $86.5

$79.7 MX$1,379

8.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$86.5 MX$1,496

30.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,616 $1,616

$978 MX$16.9K

65.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,368 $1,368

$470 MX$8,140

190.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,640 $2,640

$1,651 MX$28.6K

59.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,207 $2,207

$1,203 MX$20.8K

83.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,593 $1,593

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-59.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,604 $1,604

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-75.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

11.42

-42.99%

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

Last update for Dickinson, ND: July 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,616 in Dickinson, ND and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $74.0 in Dickinson, ND vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $376 vs $252 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

Dickinson, ND vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 107% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,904 in Dickinson, ND and $1,890 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,616 in Dickinson, ND versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Dickinson, ND. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,603 per month in Dickinson, ND versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 107% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,603 in Dickinson, ND, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Dickinson, ND. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Dickinson, ND 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 107% less than in Dickinson, ND. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.