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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $682 in Dubasari versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,077 in Dubasari versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,471 in Dubasari versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Dubasari costs roughly 46% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dubasari 49% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.91 MDL 155

$11.99 MX$210

-25.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.19 MDL 630

$41.78 MX$733

-13.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.39 MDL 129

$10.75 MX$189

-31.26%

Cappuccino

$1.81 MDL 31.54

$3.50 MX$61.3

-48.29%

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

$0.99 MDL 17.29

$1.45 MX$25.41

-31.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 MDL 11.94

$0.88 MX$15.52

-21.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 MDL 30.77

$2.95 MX$51.7

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 MDL 40.05

$4.51 MX$79.1

-49.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MDL 22.37

$1.43 MX$25.12

-10.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 MDL 9.16

$1.84 MX$32.23

-71.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MDL 25.13

$1.57 MX$27.51

-8.28%

Eggs

$2.61 MDL 45.36

$2.51 MX$44.06

3.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 MDL 183

$8.28 MX$145

26.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.50 MDL 95.7

$8.43 MX$148

-34.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 MDL 154

$10.68 MX$187

-17.32%

Apples (1kg)

$0.85 MDL 14.84

$2.61 MX$45.76

-67.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 MDL 31.90

$1.44 MX$25.22

27.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 MDL 29.70

$1.96 MX$34.41

-12.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MDL 37.60

$2.09 MX$36.74

3.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 MDL 13.30

$1.85 MX$32.47

-58.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 MDL 9.66

$2.17 MX$38.02

-74.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 MDL 23.68

$1.03 MX$18.09

32.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 MDL 15.70

$1.07 MX$18.84

-15.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 MDL 56.2

$4.10 MX$72.0

-21.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.59 MDL 79.9

$10.17 MX$178

-54.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MDL 21.05

$1.68 MX$29.38

-27.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 MDL 34.89

$2.53 MX$44.31

-20.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 MDL 35.93

$3.23 MX$56.7

-36.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.72

$2.41 MX$42.19

-88.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 MDL 89.4

$3.23 MX$56.6

58.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 MDL 24.60

$1.32 MX$23.17

6.82%

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

$32.6K MDL 568.3K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

9.92%

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

$30.5K MDL 531.6K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

29.04%

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

$171 MDL 2,971

$82.0 MX$1,439

108.05%

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

$7.57 MDL 132

$22.95 MX$403

-67.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.73 MDL 187

$30.11 MX$528

-64.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$7.73 MDL 135

$4.98 MX$87.3

55.22%

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

$383 MDL 6,668

$197 MX$3,463

93.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,756 MDL 135.0K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

45.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 MDL 1,167

$35.60 MX$624

88.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 MDL 931

$40.33 MX$707

32.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MDL 1,936

$78.8 MX$1,381

41.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MDL 2,129

$88.9 MX$1,560

37.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

11.42

-19.09%

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

Last update for Dubasari: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $36.00 in Dubasari vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 vs $249 per month, with Dubasari 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

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

Dubasari is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 84% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,023 in Dubasari and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $682 per month in Dubasari versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 84% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $682 in Dubasari versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dubasari but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Dubasari the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dubasari is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Dubasari 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 Dubasari gentler on the wallet – expenses run 84% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.