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: $2,528 in Douglas versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,890 in Douglas versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,251 in Douglas versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Douglas is roughly 99% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Douglas is 88% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.52 IMP 22.02

$11.87 MX$204

148.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 IMP 80.3

$42.90 MX$736

150.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.00 IMP 7.46

$10.65 MX$183

-6.10%

Cappuccino

$5.50 IMP 4.10

$3.45 MX$59.2

59.42%

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

$2.85 IMP 2.13

$1.50 MX$25.81

90.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 IMP 1.47

$0.95 MX$16.28

107.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.79 IMP 5.07

$3.03 MX$51.9

124.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.17 IMP 4.60

$4.61 MX$79.1

33.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 IMP 1.46

$1.38 MX$23.61

42.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 IMP 1.51

$1.85 MX$31.70

9.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 IMP 1.48

$1.61 MX$27.65

23.60%

Eggs

$4.19 IMP 3.13

$2.59 MX$44.51

61.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.68 IMP 4.99

$8.26 MX$142

-19.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.27 IMP 6.17

$8.37 MX$144

-1.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.81 IMP 8.81

$10.66 MX$183

10.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 IMP 1.75

$2.63 MX$45.12

-11.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 IMP 1.33

$1.49 MX$25.53

19.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 IMP 1.95

$1.92 MX$32.94

35.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 IMP 2.21

$2.09 MX$35.81

42.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 IMP 1.79

$1.86 MX$31.88

29.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 IMP 1.85

$2.26 MX$38.81

9.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 IMP 1.22

$1.06 MX$18.23

54.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 IMP 1.49

$1.09 MX$18.67

83.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.74 IMP 16.96

$4.15 MX$71.2

447.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.91 IMP 8.88

$10.39 MX$178

14.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.13 IMP 3.08

$1.72 MX$29.59

140.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 IMP 2.74

$2.61 MX$44.85

40.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 IMP 2.27

$0.54 MX$9.30

462.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.1 IMP 57.5

$26.94 MX$462

186.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.29 IMP 3.95

$3.13 MX$53.7

69.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 IMP 1.10

$2.51 MX$43.09

-41.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$82.7 IMP 61.7

$3.15 MX$54.1

2525.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 IMP 1.62

$1.27 MX$21.88

70.87%

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

$34.9K IMP 26.0K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

14.96%

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

$34.9K IMP 26.0K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

48.17%

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

$308 IMP 230

$83.0 MX$1,425

270.95%

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

$39.14 IMP 29.20

$22.71 MX$390

72.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 IMP 53.1

$29.46 MX$506

141.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.7 IMP 46.76

$51.0 MX$875

22.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.00 IMP 14.92

$18.33 MX$315

9.11%

Cinema Ticket

$13.73 IMP 10.25

$4.93 MX$84.5

178.50%

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

$1,297 IMP 968

$197 MX$3,386

557.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.4K IMP 24.1K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

512.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.3 IMP 71.8

$36.90 MX$633

160.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.94 IMP 30.54

$39.89 MX$685

2.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 IMP 90.5

$80.0 MX$1,373

51.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.3 IMP 58.4

$89.5 MX$1,536

-12.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 IMP 927

$956 MX$16.4K

30.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 IMP 831

$477 MX$8,189

133.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,131 IMP 1,589

$1,646 MX$28.3K

29.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,901 IMP 1,418

$1,225 MX$21.0K

55.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,042 IMP 3,015

$3,918 MX$67.2K

3.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,090 IMP 2,305

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-52.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,029 IMP 2,259

$667 MX$11.4K

354.08%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,243 in Douglas and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Douglas pays 354% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $304 vs $250 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 99% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Douglas pays 354% 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: $1,243 in Douglas versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,528 per month in Douglas versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 99% 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 186% less than in Douglas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,528 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 99% less than in Douglas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.