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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,282 in Dorado versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,037 in Dorado versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,791 in Dorado versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Dorado is roughly 1% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dorado 6% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.40 $18.40

$11.60 MX$200

58.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.6 $82.6

$47.11 MX$811

75.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.09 $9.09

$11.88 MX$205

-23.48%

Cappuccino

$3.76 $3.76

$3.98 MX$68.5

-5.53%

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

$1.80 $1.80

$1.43 MX$24.57

25.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 $1.43

$0.82 MX$14.20

74.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.19 MX$54.9

-4.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 $4.94

$6.79 MX$117

-27.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.68 MX$28.85

36.31%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$2.20 MX$37.83

65.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.71 MX$29.41

36.84%

Eggs

$6.98 $6.98

$2.74 MX$47.20

154.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.41 $12.41

$9.58 MX$165

29.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.51 $9.51

$9.01 MX$155

5.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.18 $13.18

$12.81 MX$221

2.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$2.89 MX$49.74

70.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.50 MX$25.78

70.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$2.15 MX$36.98

123.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$2.26 MX$38.91

118.14%

Potato (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$1.98 MX$34.10

88.89%

Onion (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$1.99 MX$34.26

101.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.36 $3.36

$1.23 MX$21.25

173.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.20 MX$20.60

32.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.22 $12.22

$4.55 MX$78.3

168.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.33 $15.33

$10.37 MX$179

47.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.62 MX$27.88

90.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 $3.89

$2.88 MX$49.60

35.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 $2.51

$5.39 MX$92.8

-53.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 $1.48

$3.73 MX$64.2

-60.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.89 $41.89

$5.77 MX$99.3

626.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.54 MX$26.45

-31.82%

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

$39.6K $39.6K

$22.5K MX$388.3K

75.71%

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

$28.5K $28.5K

$26.1K MX$448.7K

9.39%

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

$319 $319

$91.4 MX$1,573

248.61%

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

$27.88 $27.88

$25.20 MX$434

10.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.9 $68.9

$31.24 MX$538

120.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$10.55 $10.55

$4.86 MX$83.7

117.08%

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

$824 $824

$224 MX$3,851

268.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,537 $6,537

$4,229 MX$72.8K

54.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 $55.7

$47.10 MX$811

18.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.9 $60.9

$44.29 MX$763

37.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 $111

$80.1 MX$1,379

38.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$92.7 MX$1,596

24.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

11.45

-42.79%

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

Last update for Dorado: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $83.0 in Dorado vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $276 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

Dorado 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. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,923 in Dorado and $1,899 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.

Childcare runs $824 in Dorado versus $224 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $83.0 in Dorado. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,282 in Dorado, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Dorado. 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 Dorado, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Dorado. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.