Cost of Living Comparison Between Diego Martin and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Diego Martin and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,364 per month in Diego Martin vs $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,321 per month in Diego Martin vs $2,336 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Diego Martin vs $3,341 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Diego Martin costs about 3% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Diego Martin sits 0% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.35 TTD 69.5

$13.02 MX$221

-20.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.3 TTD 593

$46.25 MX$784

90.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 TTD 58.1

$12.59 MX$213

-31.29%

Cappuccino

$3.74 TTD 25.10

$4.00 MX$67.9

-6.50%

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

$1.18 TTD 7.93

$1.42 MX$24.08

-16.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 TTD 5.09

$0.81 MX$13.73

-6.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 TTD 14.65

$3.05 MX$51.7

-28.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 TTD 19.98

$6.82 MX$116

-56.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.48 TTD 16.63

$1.71 MX$29.04

45.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 TTD 15.09

$2.22 MX$37.62

1.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.90 TTD 19.48

$1.72 MX$29.13

68.60%

Eggs

$4.42 TTD 29.69

$2.71 MX$45.99

63.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.52 TTD 43.78

$9.37 MX$159

-30.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.22 TTD 68.7

$8.86 MX$150

15.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.16 TTD 61.5

$12.78 MX$217

-28.33%

Apples (1kg)

$5.66 TTD 37.97

$3.13 MX$53.0

80.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 TTD 17.06

$1.55 MX$26.24

63.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 TTD 24.41

$2.15 MX$36.51

69.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 TTD 29.32

$2.35 MX$39.89

85.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 TTD 5.09

$2.02 MX$34.23

-62.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 TTD 4.80

$1.99 MX$33.67

-63.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 TTD 9.68

$1.24 MX$21.09

16.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 TTD 8.15

$1.19 MX$20.21

1.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.55 TTD 37.26

$4.65 MX$78.8

19.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.91 TTD 120

$10.47 MX$177

71.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 TTD 10.07

$1.58 MX$26.82

-5.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 TTD 20.36

$2.92 MX$49.48

3.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 TTD 5.77

$0.56 MX$9.53

53.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.9 TTD 489

$29.76 MX$504

144.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 TTD 7.12

$5.32 MX$90.2

-80.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 TTD 6.17

$3.72 MX$63.0

-75.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.77 TTD 99.2

$5.78 MX$97.9

155.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 TTD 7.43

$1.55 MX$26.27

-28.39%

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

$14.7K TTD 98.8K

$22.4K MX$379.1K

-34.20%

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

$41.4K TTD 278.1K

$25.6K MX$433.3K

61.96%

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

$43.94 TTD 295

$89.3 MX$1,513

-50.78%

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

$42.50 TTD 285

$23.30 MX$395

82.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.73 TTD 307

$31.72 MX$538

44.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.59 TTD 299

$68.8 MX$1,165

-35.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 TTD 60.9

$5.06 MX$85.7

79.25%

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

$405 TTD 2,718

$222 MX$3,765

82.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K TTD 70.5K

$4,293 MX$72.7K

144.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.6 TTD 373

$46.21 MX$783

20.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.30 TTD 250

$44.43 MX$753

-16.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 TTD 585

$95.5 MX$1,618

-8.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.4 TTD 587

$92.5 MX$1,568

-5.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$661 TTD 4,436

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-38.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$442 TTD 2,967

$393 MX$6,663

12.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,456 TTD 9,774

$1,988 MX$33.7K

-26.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$952 TTD 6,395

$1,304 MX$22.1K

-26.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,798 TTD 12.1K

$747 MX$12.7K

140.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.75

11.6

-50.43%

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

Last update for Diego Martin: August 18, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $661 in Diego Martin versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 141% higher in Diego Martin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $88.0 in Diego Martin versus $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $328 vs $277 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Diego Martin costs about 3% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,047 per month in Diego Martin and $1,995 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Diego Martin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $88.0 in Diego Martin and $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,330, than in Diego Martin at $1,364. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Diego Martin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,330 versus $1,364 in Diego Martin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Diego Martin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.