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 $1,594 per month in Dili vs $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,475 per month in Dili vs $2,336 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,357 per month in Dili vs $3,341 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Dili costs about 20% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Dili sits 16% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.14 $5.14

$13.02 MX$221

-60.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.27 $42.27

$46.25 MX$784

-8.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.10 $8.10

$12.59 MX$213

-35.66%

Cappuccino

$4.08 $4.08

$4.00 MX$67.9

2.00%

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

$1.70 $1.70

$1.42 MX$24.08

19.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$0.81 MX$13.73

182.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 $2.51

$3.05 MX$51.7

-17.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 $4.43

$6.82 MX$116

-35.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.71 MX$29.04

57.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.22 MX$37.62

28.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.72 MX$29.13

-5.81%

Eggs

$2.72 $2.72

$2.71 MX$45.99

0.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.06 $2.06

$9.37 MX$159

-78.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 $9.36

$8.86 MX$150

5.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.02 $16.02

$12.78 MX$217

25.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$3.13 MX$53.0

11.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.55 MX$26.24

18.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.15 MX$36.51

-28.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.35 MX$39.89

-11.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 $1.37

$2.02 MX$34.23

-32.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.99 MX$33.67

-36.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.24 MX$21.09

-30.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.19 MX$20.21

-17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 $3.07

$4.65 MX$78.8

-33.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.93 $11.93

$10.47 MX$177

13.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.58 MX$26.82

40.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.92 MX$49.48

-2.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 $0.24

$0.56 MX$9.53

-57.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.54 $30.54

$29.76 MX$504

2.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 $3.57

$5.32 MX$90.2

-32.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.60 $3.60

$3.72 MX$63.0

-3.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.37 $20.37

$5.78 MX$97.9

252.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.55 MX$26.27

-6.45%

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

$17.7K $17.7K

$22.4K MX$379.1K

-21.00%

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

$17.2K $17.2K

$25.6K MX$433.3K

-32.55%

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

$151 $151

$89.3 MX$1,513

69.40%

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

$29.90 $29.90

$23.30 MX$395

28.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.15 $49.15

$68.8 MX$1,165

-28.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$5.41 $5.41

$5.06 MX$85.7

6.92%

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

$222 MX$3,765

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K $15.8K

$4,293 MX$72.7K

268.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 $59.9

$46.21 MX$783

29.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.55 $29.55

$44.43 MX$753

-33.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 $79.5

$95.5 MX$1,618

-16.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 $59.3

$92.5 MX$1,568

-35.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$863 $863

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-19.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 $770

$393 MX$6,663

95.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,750 $2,750

$1,988 MX$33.7K

38.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,527 $1,527

$1,304 MX$22.1K

17.12%

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)

$3,531 $3,531

$747 MX$12.7K

372.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.37

11.6

-53.71%

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

Last update for Dili: August 16, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $863 in Dili 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 373% 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 $42.00 in Dili versus $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $282 in Dili vs $277 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 20%, 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 $2,390 per month in Dili 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.

Public transport costs about 3% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 2% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,330, than in Dili at $1,594. 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.