Cost of Living Comparison Between Dover, NH and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Dover, NH and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,448 in Dover, NH versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,071 in Dover, NH versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,694 in Dover, NH versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Dover, NH is roughly 172% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dover, NH is 152% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.27 $18.27

$11.60 MX$199

57.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.8 $95.8

$47.11 MX$809

103.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.08 $13.08

$11.88 MX$204

10.10%

Cappuccino

$5.54 $5.54

$3.98 MX$68.2

39.20%

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

$2.57 $2.57

$1.43 MX$24.49

79.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$0.82 MX$14.16

85.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.15 $5.15

$3.19 MX$54.7

61.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.22 $8.22

$6.79 MX$117

21.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.68 MX$28.76

-35.12%

White Bread (500g)

$4.00 $4.00

$2.20 MX$37.71

81.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$1.71 MX$29.32

214.04%

Eggs

$4.71 $4.71

$2.74 MX$47.05

71.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.37 $11.37

$9.58 MX$164

18.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.46 $14.46

$9.01 MX$155

60.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.74 $17.74

$12.81 MX$220

38.49%

Apples (1kg)

$6.68 $6.68

$2.89 MX$49.58

131.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.50 MX$25.70

16.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.58 $6.58

$2.15 MX$36.87

206.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.69 $5.69

$2.26 MX$38.79

151.77%

Potato (1kg)

$6.50 $6.50

$1.98 MX$34.00

228.28%

Onion (1kg)

$5.82 $5.82

$1.99 MX$34.15

192.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.23 MX$21.18

144.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.96 $3.96

$1.20 MX$20.54

230.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.20 $13.20

$4.55 MX$78.1

190.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.55 $13.55

$10.37 MX$178

30.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.62 MX$27.79

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 $4.09

$2.88 MX$49.44

42.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.60 MX$10.30

193.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.8 $80.8

$28.80 MX$494

180.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.54 MX$26.37

-46.75%

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

$28.3K $28.3K

$22.5K MX$387.0K

25.60%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$26.1K MX$447.3K

1.28%

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

$317 $317

$91.4 MX$1,569

246.60%

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

$98.5 $98.5

$25.20 MX$433

290.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$141 $141

$31.24 MX$536

352.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.9 $69.9

$67.2 MX$1,154

4.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.52 $29.52

$29.11 MX$500

1.41%

Cinema Ticket

$11.84 $11.84

$4.86 MX$83.5

143.62%

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

$1,819 $1,819

$224 MX$3,839

713.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.0K $20.0K

$4,229 MX$72.6K

373.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.3 $56.3

$47.10 MX$808

19.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.05 $38.05

$44.29 MX$760

-14.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.8 $79.8

$80.1 MX$1,375

-0.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$92.7 MX$1,591

8.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,089 $2,089

$1,063 MX$18.2K

96.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,863 $1,863

$390 MX$6,698

377.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,945 $3,945

$2,149 MX$36.9K

83.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,261 $3,261

$1,272 MX$21.8K

156.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,758 $3,758

$758 MX$13.0K

395.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.04

11.45

-47.25%

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

Last update for Dover, NH: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,089 in Dover, NH and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dover, NH pays 396% 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: $96.0 in Dover, NH vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $486 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

Dover, NH vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 172% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 396% higher in Dover, NH, 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: $2,089 in Dover, NH versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,819 in Dover, NH versus $224 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 76% higher in Dover, NH. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,448 in Dover, NH, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Dover, NH. 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 Dover, NH, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Dover, NH 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 172% less than in Dover, NH. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.