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: $2,752 in Douglas versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,183 in Douglas versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,614 in Douglas versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Douglas is roughly 117% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Douglas is 101% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.84 IMP 21.40

$11.60 MX$200

148.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 IMP 91.4

$47.11 MX$812

161.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.09 IMP 8.97

$11.88 MX$205

1.77%

Cappuccino

$5.18 IMP 3.84

$3.98 MX$68.6

30.15%

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

$2.84 IMP 2.11

$1.43 MX$24.60

98.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 IMP 1.59

$0.82 MX$14.22

160.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.74 IMP 5.00

$3.19 MX$55.0

111.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.02 IMP 4.47

$6.79 MX$117

-11.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.61 IMP 1.93

$1.68 MX$28.89

55.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 IMP 2.04

$2.20 MX$37.88

24.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 IMP 1.60

$1.71 MX$29.45

26.32%

Eggs

$5.52 IMP 4.10

$2.74 MX$47.26

101.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.38 IMP 6.22

$9.58 MX$165

-12.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.99 IMP 6.67

$9.01 MX$155

-0.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.09 IMP 9.71

$12.81 MX$221

2.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 IMP 2.23

$2.89 MX$49.81

3.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 IMP 1.34

$1.50 MX$25.81

20.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 IMP 2.83

$2.15 MX$37.03

77.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 IMP 2.68

$2.26 MX$38.96

59.73%

Potato (1kg)

$3.12 IMP 2.31

$1.98 MX$34.15

57.58%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 IMP 2.28

$1.99 MX$34.30

54.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 IMP 1.61

$1.23 MX$21.28

77.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 IMP 2.03

$1.20 MX$20.63

128.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.18 IMP 17.20

$4.55 MX$78.5

409.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.25 IMP 9.09

$10.37 MX$179

18.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.47 IMP 3.31

$1.62 MX$27.91

175.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 IMP 3.32

$2.88 MX$49.67

55.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 IMP 2.17

$0.60 MX$10.35

388.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.3 IMP 72.9

$28.80 MX$497

241.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 IMP 3.92

$5.39 MX$92.9

-2.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 IMP 1.12

$3.73 MX$64.3

-59.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.1 IMP 59.4

$5.77 MX$99.5

1288.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 IMP 1.46

$1.54 MX$26.48

27.92%

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

$45.7K IMP 33.9K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

102.71%

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

$44.9K IMP 33.3K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

72.37%

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

$357 IMP 265

$91.4 MX$1,576

290.70%

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

$63.0 IMP 46.76

$25.20 MX$435

150.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.6 IMP 56.1

$31.24 MX$539

141.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.6 IMP 48.70

$67.2 MX$1,159

-2.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.92 IMP 14.78

$29.11 MX$502

-31.57%

Cinema Ticket

$16.24 IMP 12.05

$4.86 MX$83.8

234.16%

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

$1,798 IMP 1,334

$224 MX$3,856

703.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$53.0K IMP 39.3K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

1153.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100 IMP 74.4

$47.10 MX$812

112.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.53 IMP 34.53

$44.29 MX$764

5.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 IMP 86.1

$80.1 MX$1,381

44.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 IMP 53.6

$92.7 MX$1,598

-22.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,267 IMP 940

$1,063 MX$18.3K

19.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,105 IMP 820

$390 MX$6,728

183.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,349 IMP 1,743

$2,149 MX$37.1K

9.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,068 IMP 1,535

$1,272 MX$21.9K

62.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,063 IMP 3,757

$4,001 MX$69.0K

26.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,958 IMP 2,937

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-39.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,057 IMP 2,269

$758 MX$13.1K

303.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.76

11.45

-58.43%

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

Last update for Douglas: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,267 in Douglas and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Douglas pays 303% 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: $123 in Douglas vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $366 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

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 117% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 303% 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: $1,267 in Douglas versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,752 per month in Douglas versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 117% 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 241% less than in Douglas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,752 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 117% less than in Douglas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.