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: $2,524 in Douglas versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,870 in Douglas versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,215 in Douglas versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Douglas is roughly 96% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Douglas is 89% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.22 IMP 22.36

$11.94 MX$208

153.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$107 IMP 78.9

$42.75 MX$744

149.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.62 IMP 7.12

$10.59 MX$184

-9.16%

Cappuccino

$5.27 IMP 3.90

$3.62 MX$63.0

45.58%

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

$2.71 IMP 2.01

$1.47 MX$25.54

84.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 IMP 1.42

$0.94 MX$16.41

104.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.86 IMP 5.07

$3.09 MX$53.8

122.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.05 IMP 4.47

$4.46 MX$77.6

35.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 IMP 1.49

$1.43 MX$24.80

41.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.94 IMP 1.43

$1.88 MX$32.79

3.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 IMP 1.44

$1.63 MX$28.34

19.63%

Eggs

$4.38 IMP 3.24

$2.64 MX$45.99

65.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.59 IMP 4.88

$8.21 MX$143

-19.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.10 IMP 6.00

$8.29 MX$144

-2.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.59 IMP 8.58

$11.10 MX$193

4.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 IMP 1.80

$2.65 MX$46.14

-8.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 IMP 1.31

$1.50 MX$26.11

18.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 IMP 1.89

$1.99 MX$34.59

28.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.84 IMP 2.10

$2.08 MX$36.13

36.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.35 IMP 1.74

$1.79 MX$31.11

31.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 IMP 1.92

$2.18 MX$37.87

18.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 IMP 1.23

$1.08 MX$18.73

53.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 IMP 1.51

$1.04 MX$18.04

96.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.74 IMP 16.83

$3.97 MX$69.1

472.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.35 IMP 9.14

$10.20 MX$178

21.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.11 IMP 3.04

$1.73 MX$30.04

137.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 IMP 2.82

$2.50 MX$43.46

52.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.02 IMP 2.23

$0.52 MX$9.02

480.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.9 IMP 56.9

$26.97 MX$469

184.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.15 IMP 3.81

$3.14 MX$54.7

64.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 IMP 1.09

$2.40 MX$41.80

-38.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$82.8 IMP 61.2

$3.09 MX$53.7

2577.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 IMP 1.66

$1.27 MX$22.16

77.17%

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

$35.2K IMP 26.0K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

13.83%

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

$35.0K IMP 25.9K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

50.22%

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

$305 IMP 226

$82.0 MX$1,427

272.05%

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

$37.92 IMP 28.06

$22.45 MX$391

68.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.4 IMP 52.8

$29.66 MX$516

140.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.1 IMP 46.66

$51.9 MX$903

21.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.32 IMP 15.04

$18.67 MX$325

8.84%

Cinema Ticket

$13.69 IMP 10.13

$4.97 MX$86.5

175.45%

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

$1,325 IMP 981

$198 MX$3,442

569.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.2K IMP 23.9K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

511.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.0 IMP 71.8

$36.34 MX$632

166.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.24 IMP 31.26

$40.05 MX$697

5.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 IMP 91.0

$79.9 MX$1,390

53.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.8 IMP 56.8

$88.9 MX$1,547

-13.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,202 IMP 890

$963 MX$16.8K

24.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 IMP 803

$465 MX$8,086

133.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,131 IMP 1,577

$1,596 MX$27.8K

33.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,933 IMP 1,431

$1,209 MX$21.0K

59.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,151 IMP 3,072

$3,942 MX$68.6K

5.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,219 IMP 2,382

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-50.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,263 IMP 2,415

$720 MX$12.5K

352.94%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,202 in Douglas and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Douglas pays 353% 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: $107 in Douglas vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $303 vs $251 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 96% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Douglas pays 353% more on average, 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: $1,202 in Douglas versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,524 per month in Douglas versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 96% 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 185% less than in Douglas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,524 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 96% less than in Douglas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.