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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,515 in Douglas versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,823 in Douglas versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,131 in Douglas versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Douglas is roughly 100% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Douglas is 89% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.49 IMP 22.65

$11.72 MX$203

160.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 IMP 80.2

$41.89 MX$725

157.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.20 IMP 7.58

$10.51 MX$182

-2.95%

Cappuccino

$5.32 IMP 3.96

$3.59 MX$62.0

48.19%

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

$2.81 IMP 2.09

$1.51 MX$26.10

86.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 IMP 1.46

$0.92 MX$15.83

113.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.49 IMP 4.82

$2.96 MX$51.2

119.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.23 IMP 4.63

$4.41 MX$76.3

41.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 IMP 1.47

$1.40 MX$24.16

41.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.00 IMP 1.49

$1.88 MX$32.60

6.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 IMP 1.50

$1.56 MX$26.97

29.49%

Eggs

$4.35 IMP 3.23

$2.61 MX$45.14

66.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.88 IMP 5.11

$8.32 MX$144

-17.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.36 IMP 6.21

$8.35 MX$145

0.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.69 IMP 8.69

$10.86 MX$188

7.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 IMP 1.75

$2.71 MX$46.93

-13.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 IMP 1.33

$1.51 MX$26.04

18.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 IMP 1.96

$1.87 MX$32.41

41.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.92 IMP 2.17

$2.19 MX$37.89

33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 IMP 1.75

$1.86 MX$32.14

26.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 IMP 1.88

$2.23 MX$38.59

13.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 IMP 1.23

$1.07 MX$18.48

55.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 IMP 1.48

$1.09 MX$18.79

83.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.45 IMP 16.68

$4.19 MX$72.4

435.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.95 IMP 8.88

$10.43 MX$180

14.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.10 IMP 3.04

$1.66 MX$28.68

146.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 IMP 2.77

$2.61 MX$45.19

42.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 IMP 2.27

$0.54 MX$9.37

464.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.1 IMP 56.6

$26.16 MX$453

190.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 IMP 3.79

$3.08 MX$53.3

65.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 IMP 1.13

$2.40 MX$41.61

-36.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.1 IMP 59.5

$3.13 MX$54.1

2459.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 IMP 1.59

$1.31 MX$22.69

63.36%

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

$34.7K IMP 25.8K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

16.41%

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

$36.0K IMP 26.7K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

54.16%

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

$302 IMP 224

$81.3 MX$1,406

271.00%

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

$37.77 IMP 28.06

$22.56 MX$390

67.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.3 IMP 52.2

$30.05 MX$520

133.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.0 IMP 46.83

$52.9 MX$915

19.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.53 IMP 15.25

$18.39 MX$318

11.64%

Cinema Ticket

$13.74 IMP 10.21

$4.92 MX$85.1

179.27%

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

$1,315 IMP 977

$201 MX$3,474

554.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.5K IMP 23.4K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

508.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.3 IMP 70.1

$35.92 MX$622

162.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.69 IMP 30.98

$40.13 MX$694

3.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 IMP 90.9

$79.7 MX$1,379

53.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 IMP 58.7

$86.5 MX$1,496

-8.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,240 IMP 921

$978 MX$16.9K

26.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,099 IMP 816

$470 MX$8,140

133.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,152 IMP 1,599

$1,651 MX$28.6K

30.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,901 IMP 1,412

$1,203 MX$20.8K

57.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,071 IMP 3,025

$3,953 MX$68.4K

2.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,142 IMP 2,334

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-52.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,964 IMP 2,202

$677 MX$11.7K

338.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.66

11.42

-67.95%

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

Last update for Douglas: July 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,240 in Douglas and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Douglas pays 338% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $108 in Douglas vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $252 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 100% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 338% higher in Douglas, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,240 in Douglas versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,515 per month in Douglas versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 100% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 191% less than in Douglas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,515 in Douglas, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Douglas. 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 Douglas, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Douglas and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 100% less than in Douglas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.