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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,391 per month in Drogheda vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,546 per month in Drogheda vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,701 per month in Drogheda vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Drogheda costs about 170% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Drogheda sits 154% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.28 €15.10

$11.99 MX$210

44.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.4 €82.5

$41.78 MX$731

125.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.33 €9.03

$10.75 MX$188

-3.91%

Cappuccino

$4.32 €3.77

$3.50 MX$61.1

23.43%

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

$2.34 €2.05

$1.45 MX$25.33

61.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.35

$0.88 MX$15.47

76.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.33 €5.53

$2.95 MX$51.6

114.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.26 €5.47

$4.51 MX$78.9

38.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 €1.33

$1.43 MX$25.04

6.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 €2.27

$1.84 MX$32.13

41.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 €0.99

$1.57 MX$27.42

-28.03%

Eggs

$4.03 €3.52

$2.51 MX$43.92

60.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.34 €9.03

$8.28 MX$145

24.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.37 €9.06

$8.43 MX$147

23.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.72 €10.24

$10.68 MX$187

9.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 €2.63

$2.61 MX$45.62

15.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.44 MX$25.15

33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 €1.45

$1.96 MX$34.31

-15.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 €2.98

$2.09 MX$36.62

63.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 €1.25

$1.85 MX$32.37

-22.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 €0.81

$2.17 MX$37.90

-57.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 €0.88

$1.03 MX$18.04

-1.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 €1.36

$1.07 MX$18.78

45.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.35 €16.90

$4.10 MX$71.7

371.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.60 €11.88

$10.17 MX$178

33.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.57 €3.12

$1.68 MX$29.29

112.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 €3.25

$2.53 MX$44.17

47.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.72

$0.51 MX$8.90

509.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$149 €130

$26.04 MX$455

472.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.99 €4.36

$3.23 MX$56.5

54.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 €1.48

$2.41 MX$42.06

-29.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.92 €38.37

$3.23 MX$56.5

1259.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.79

$1.32 MX$23.10

55.30%

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

$42.3K €36.9K

$29.7K MX$519.2K

42.35%

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

$38.8K €33.9K

$23.7K MX$413.7K

64.11%

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

$280 €245

$82.0 MX$1,434

241.70%

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

$21.51 €18.80

$22.95 MX$401

-6.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.40 €38.79

$30.11 MX$527

47.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 €62.4

$52.0 MX$909

37.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$69.5 €60.7

$18.53 MX$324

274.91%

Cinema Ticket

$13.72 €11.99

$4.98 MX$87.0

175.50%

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

$1,067 €932

$197 MX$3,452

440.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,090 €1,826

$5,336 MX$93.3K

-60.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.8 €79.4

$35.60 MX$622

155.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.29 €35.21

$40.33 MX$705

-0.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €90.1

$78.8 MX$1,377

30.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 €91.8

$88.9 MX$1,555

18.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,405 €2,101

$947 MX$16.6K

153.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,993 €1,741

$474 MX$8,288

320.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,258 €2,847

$1,644 MX$28.7K

98.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,382

$1,211 MX$21.2K

125.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,957 €3,457

$4,056 MX$70.9K

-2.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,906 €2,539

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-55.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,535 €3,088

$654 MX$11.4K

440.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.55

11.42

-60.16%

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

Last update for Drogheda: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,405 in Drogheda versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 441% higher in Drogheda, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $94.0 in Drogheda versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $312 vs $249 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Drogheda costs about 170% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,086 per month in Drogheda and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,391 in Drogheda and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 473% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Drogheda at $3,391. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Drogheda it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,256 versus $3,391 in Drogheda. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Drogheda makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.