Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dodge City, KS and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,202 a month against $2,665 in Dodge City, KS, rent and utilities included – about $17,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Dodge City, KS, United States
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Dodge City, KS
🇺🇸 United States
$2,665
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dodge City, KS and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Dodge City, KS and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,665 per month in Dodge City, KS vs $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Dodge City, KS $2,665
  • Playa del Carmen $1,202

A couple spends around $3,806 per month in Dodge City, KS vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Dodge City, KS $3,806
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $4,947 per month in Dodge City, KS vs $2,962 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Dodge City, KS $4,947
  • Playa del Carmen $2,962

Dodge City, KS costs about 122% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Dodge City, KS sits 97% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dodge City, KS
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.82 $18.82
$10.67 MX$199
76.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.3 $55.3
$43.80 MX$815
26.16%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.71 $10.71
$11.79 MX$219
-9.16%
Cappuccino
$5.35 $5.35
$3.79 MX$70.5
41.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 $2.37
$1.30 MX$24.14
82.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.90 $1.90
$0.83 MX$15.51
128.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.39 $5.39
$3.15 MX$58.6
71.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.09 $6.09
$4.93 MX$91.8
23.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dodge City, KS
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.84 $0.84
$1.41 MX$26.22
-40.43%
White Bread (500g)
$3.69 $3.69
$2.20 MX$40.86
67.73%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.76 $5.76
$1.47 MX$27.40
291.84%
Eggs
$4.42 $4.42
$2.50 MX$46.47
76.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.98 $10.98
$7.29 MX$136
50.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.21 $11.21
$7.95 MX$148
41.01%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.75 $18.75
$12.86 MX$239
45.80%
Apples (1kg)
$2.52 $2.52
$2.90 MX$53.9
-13.10%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 $1.70
$1.38 MX$25.74
23.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.76 $3.76
$2.49 MX$46.36
51.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.39 $2.39
$2.03 MX$37.78
17.73%
Potato (1kg)
$2.55 $2.55
$2.02 MX$37.69
26.24%
Onion (1kg)
$2.26 $2.26
$1.90 MX$35.42
18.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.40 $2.40
$1.14 MX$21.30
110.53%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.38 $2.38
$1.24 MX$23.06
91.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.67 $9.67
$4.27 MX$79.5
126.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.17 $12.17
$9.81 MX$183
24.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.18 $2.18
$1.59 MX$29.51
37.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75 $3.75
$2.75 MX$51.1
36.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Dodge City, KS
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.11 $2.11
$0.51 MX$9.58
313.73%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$67.9 $67.9
$27.39 MX$510
147.97%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.44 $2.44
$4.76 MX$88.6
-48.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.59 $1.59
$3.25 MX$60.5
-51.08%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$39.47 $39.47
$5.39 MX$100
632.28%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.98 $0.98
$1.53 MX$28.44
-35.95%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.6K $28.6K
$21.2K MX$394.8K
34.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K $25.8K
$23.3K MX$432.9K
11.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dodge City, KS
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$274 $274
$83.5 MX$1,554
228.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$76.0 $76.0
$23.19 MX$431
227.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$62.7 $62.7
$27.61 MX$514
127.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dodge City, KS
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.50 $38.50
$56.4 MX$1,050
-31.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$28.19 MX$525
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.86 $14.86
$5.00 MX$93.1
197.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dodge City, KS
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$899 $899
$207 MX$3,854
333.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.0K $18.0K
$5,231 MX$97.4K
244.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dodge City, KS
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.47 $47.47
$43.45 MX$809
9.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.24 $30.24
$42.54 MX$792
-28.91%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 $106
$72.8 MX$1,354
46.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 $108
$88.4 MX$1,645
22.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dodge City, KS
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,598 $1,598
$995 MX$18.5K
60.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,289 $1,289
$382 MX$7,116
236.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,602 $2,602
$1,674 MX$31.2K
55.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,110 $2,110
$1,081 MX$20.1K
95.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,827 $2,827
$3,909 MX$72.7K
-27.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,344 $2,344
$6,138 MX$114.2K
-61.81%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dodge City, KS
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,866 $2,866
$832 MX$15.5K
244.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.57
11.45
-42.62%

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

Last update for Dodge City, KS: November 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Dodge City, KS
$1.3K
Playa del Carmen
$382 70.3% $906
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dodge City, KS
$413
Playa del Carmen
$134 67.5% $279
Groceries & Markets
Dodge City, KS
$374
Playa del Carmen
$257 31.2% $117
Eating Out
Dodge City, KS
$303
Playa del Carmen
$200 33.9% $103
Clothing & Footwear
Dodge City, KS
$131
Playa del Carmen
$111 15.4% $20
Getting Around
Dodge City, KS
$87
Playa del Carmen
$50 41.8% $36
Sport & Entertainment
Dodge City, KS
$68
Playa del Carmen
$66 2.6% $1.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,598 in Dodge City, KS versus $995 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 in Dodge City, KS are about 3.4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Dodge City, KS versus $44 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $374 vs $257 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Dodge City, KS
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
18:09 6:09 PM
19:09 7:09 PM
1 h ahead of Dodge City, KS
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
26,101
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.13 USD (1 USD = 0.888 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 18.61 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.95 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Dodge City, KS Playa del Carmen 2,280 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Dodge City, KS
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Dodge City, KS vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Dodge City, KS and in Playa del Carmen compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,665 in Dodge City, KS, $1,202 in Playa del Carmen – Playa del Carmen comes out roughly 55% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Dodge City, KS compared to Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,998 per month in Dodge City, KS and $1,804 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Dodge City, KS and Playa del Carmen?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $995 there versus $1,598 in Dodge City, KS.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Dodge City, KS and $44 in Playa del Carmen. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Dodge City, KS or Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,665 in Dodge City, KS and $1,202 in Playa del Carmen. That makes Playa del Carmen about 55% cheaper.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,202, than in Dodge City, KS at $2,665. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dodge City, KS it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Dodge City, KS or Playa del Carmen?
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.
How do I decide between Dodge City, KS and Playa del Carmen?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dodge City, KS makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Dodge City, KS vs other spots: cost of living compared

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