Cost of Living Comparison Between Dili and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Dili and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,739 per month in Dili vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,621 per month in Dili vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,503 per month in Dili vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Dili costs about 35% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Dili sits 30% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.92 $4.92

$11.94 MX$209

-58.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.67 $45.67

$42.75 MX$748

6.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 $7.86

$10.59 MX$185

-25.78%

Cappuccino

$3.86 $3.86

$3.62 MX$63.4

6.63%

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

$1.61 $1.61

$1.47 MX$25.69

9.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

$0.94 MX$16.51

46.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 $1.97

$3.09 MX$54.1

-36.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 $4.54

$4.46 MX$78.0

1.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.43 MX$24.94

75.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.88 MX$32.97

26.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.63 MX$28.50

21.47%

Eggs

$2.73 $2.73

$2.64 MX$46.26

3.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.05 $2.05

$8.21 MX$144

-75.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 $9.53

$8.29 MX$145

14.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.98 $15.98

$11.10 MX$194

43.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.65 MX$46.40

29.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.50 MX$26.26

24.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.99 MX$34.79

1.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.08 MX$36.33

22.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.79 MX$31.29

8.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 $1.21

$2.18 MX$38.09

-44.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.08 MX$18.84

-4.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.04 MX$18.15

-6.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 $2.80

$3.97 MX$69.5

-29.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.84 $11.84

$10.20 MX$179

16.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.73 MX$30.22

28.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.50 MX$43.71

10.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 $0.24

$0.52 MX$9.07

-53.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 $3.58

$3.14 MX$55.0

14.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.27 $3.27

$2.40 MX$42.04

36.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.35 $20.35

$3.09 MX$54.0

558.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.27 MX$22.28

22.05%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

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

$151 $151

$82.0 MX$1,435

84.15%

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

$29.88 $29.88

$22.45 MX$393

33.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.80 $49.80

$29.66 MX$519

67.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.4 $50.4

$51.9 MX$908

-2.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.94 $2.94

$18.67 MX$327

-84.25%

Cinema Ticket

$5.41 $5.41

$4.97 MX$87.0

8.85%

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

$198 MX$3,462

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K $16.1K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

204.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 $60.4

$36.34 MX$636

66.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.56 $29.56

$40.05 MX$701

-26.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 $79.1

$79.9 MX$1,398

-0.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.2 $59.2

$88.9 MX$1,555

-33.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 $1,086

$963 MX$16.9K

12.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$945 $945

$465 MX$8,133

103.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,427 $3,427

$1,596 MX$27.9K

114.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,650 $1,650

$1,209 MX$21.2K

36.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,583 $3,583

$720 MX$12.6K

397.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.37

11.42

-52.98%

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

Last update for Dili: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Dili versus $963 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 397% higher in Dili, 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 $46.00 in Dili versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $283 vs $251 – 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

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

Yes – Dili is pricier by about 35%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,609 per month in Dili and $1,930 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 13% more in Dili, 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 $46.00 in Dili and $43.00 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 $1,287, than in Dili at $1,739. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dili it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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