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: $2,580 in Dickinson, ND versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,720 in Dickinson, ND versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,859 in Dickinson, ND versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Dickinson, ND is roughly 103% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dickinson, ND is 92% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.24 $19.24

$11.87 MX$204

62.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.4 $75.4

$42.90 MX$736

75.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 $11.09

$10.65 MX$183

4.13%

Cappuccino

$4.94 $4.94

$3.45 MX$59.2

43.19%

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

$2.47 $2.47

$1.50 MX$25.81

64.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.95 MX$16.28

114.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 $5.93

$3.03 MX$51.9

95.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.61 MX$79.1

49.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.38 MX$23.61

-27.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.85 MX$31.70

87.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.61 MX$27.65

83.85%

Eggs

$4.25 $4.25

$2.59 MX$44.51

64.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.42 $12.42

$8.26 MX$142

50.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.61 $11.61

$8.37 MX$144

38.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.35 $15.35

$10.66 MX$183

44.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$2.63 MX$45.12

88.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.49 MX$25.53

8.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 $2.41

$1.92 MX$32.94

25.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$2.09 MX$35.81

128.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.86 MX$31.88

56.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.26 MX$38.81

23.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.06 MX$18.23

97.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.09 MX$18.67

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.48 $9.48

$4.15 MX$71.2

128.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.06 $15.06

$10.39 MX$178

44.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.72 MX$29.59

2.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.61 MX$44.85

26.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.54 MX$9.30

262.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 $3.54

$3.13 MX$53.7

13.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.51 MX$43.09

-34.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.26 $29.26

$3.15 MX$54.1

828.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.27 MX$21.88

-29.92%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-2.45%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

9.39%

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

$189 $189

$83.0 MX$1,425

127.87%

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

$53.1 $53.1

$22.71 MX$390

133.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.1 $68.1

$29.46 MX$506

130.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.36 $42.36

$51.0 MX$875

-16.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$13.42 $13.42

$4.93 MX$84.5

172.21%

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

$1,284 $1,284

$197 MX$3,386

550.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K $23.0K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

335.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 $50.8

$36.90 MX$633

37.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.25 $39.25

$39.89 MX$685

-1.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.7 $85.7

$80.0 MX$1,373

7.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$89.5 MX$1,536

26.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,617 $1,617

$956 MX$16.4K

69.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,376 $1,376

$477 MX$8,189

188.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,640 $2,640

$1,646 MX$28.3K

60.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,213 $2,213

$1,225 MX$21.0K

80.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,567 $1,567

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-60.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,574 $1,574

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-75.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,617 in Dickinson, ND and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $75.0 in Dickinson, ND vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $377 vs $250 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 103% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,870 in Dickinson, ND and $1,906 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: $1,617 in Dickinson, ND versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 51% higher in Dickinson, ND. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,580 per month in Dickinson, ND versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 103% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,580 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 103% less than in Dickinson, ND. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.