Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubbo and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,202 a month against $2,561 in Dubbo, rent and utilities included – about $16,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Dubbo, Australia
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Dubbo
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,561
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dubbo and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Dubbo and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,561 per month in Dubbo vs $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Dubbo $2,561
  • Playa del Carmen $1,202

A couple spends around $3,660 per month in Dubbo vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Dubbo $3,660
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $4,760 per month in Dubbo vs $2,962 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Dubbo $4,760
  • Playa del Carmen $2,962

Dubbo costs about 113% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Dubbo sits 89% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dubbo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.55 A$25.12
$10.67 MX$199
64.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$85.3 A$122
$43.80 MX$815
94.84%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.43 A$14.93
$11.79 MX$219
-11.54%
Cappuccino
$4.06 A$5.81
$3.79 MX$70.5
7.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87 A$4.11
$1.30 MX$24.14
120.77%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21 A$3.16
$0.83 MX$15.51
166.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.65 A$10.96
$3.15 MX$58.6
142.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.71 A$11.03
$4.93 MX$91.8
56.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dubbo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.56 A$2.23
$1.41 MX$26.22
10.64%
White Bread (500g)
$2.77 A$3.96
$2.20 MX$40.86
25.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.20 A$3.15
$1.47 MX$27.40
49.66%
Eggs
$4.82 A$6.91
$2.50 MX$46.46
92.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.22 A$13.19
$7.29 MX$136
26.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.11 A$13.04
$7.95 MX$148
14.59%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.65 A$20.97
$12.86 MX$239
13.92%
Apples (1kg)
$3.43 A$4.90
$2.90 MX$53.9
18.28%
Banana (1kg)
$3.77 A$5.40
$1.38 MX$25.74
173.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.88 A$4.12
$2.49 MX$46.35
15.66%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.86 A$8.39
$2.03 MX$37.77
188.67%
Potato (1kg)
$2.50 A$3.58
$2.02 MX$37.68
23.76%
Onion (1kg)
$2.43 A$3.47
$1.90 MX$35.42
27.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.33 A$3.33
$1.14 MX$21.30
104.39%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 A$2.43
$1.24 MX$23.05
37.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$32.07 A$45.91
$4.27 MX$79.5
651.05%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.80 A$19.75
$9.81 MX$183
40.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.68 A$6.70
$1.59 MX$29.51
194.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.86 A$6.96
$2.75 MX$51.1
76.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Dubbo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.79 A$4.00
$0.51 MX$9.58
447.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$85.0 A$122
$27.39 MX$510
210.19%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.60 A$5.16
$4.76 MX$88.6
-24.37%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.62 A$2.32
$3.25 MX$60.5
-50.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$40.33 A$57.7
$5.39 MX$100
648.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.22 A$1.75
$1.53 MX$28.44
-20.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.1K A$41.7K
$21.2K MX$394.8K
37.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1K A$37.3K
$23.3K MX$432.9K
12.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dubbo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$206 A$295
$83.5 MX$1,554
146.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.38 A$39.19
$23.19 MX$431
18.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$82.7 A$118
$27.61 MX$514
199.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dubbo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 A$81.9
$56.4 MX$1,050
1.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.09 A$25.90
$28.19 MX$525
-35.83%
Cinema Ticket
$14.07 A$20.14
$5.00 MX$93.1
181.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dubbo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,166 A$3,101
$207 MX$3,854
945.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.2K A$28.9K
$5,231 MX$97.3K
286.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dubbo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$78.4 A$112
$43.45 MX$809
80.46%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.3 A$77.7
$42.54 MX$792
27.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 A$154
$72.8 MX$1,354
47.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 A$175
$88.4 MX$1,645
38.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dubbo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$963 A$1,379
$995 MX$18.5K
-3.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,222 A$1,749
$382 MX$7,116
219.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,588 A$2,274
$1,674 MX$31.2K
-5.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,784 A$2,553
$1,081 MX$20.1K
65.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,718 A$2,459
$3,909 MX$72.7K
-56.06%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,949 A$7,085
$6,138 MX$114.2K
-19.36%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dubbo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,176 A$3,115
$832 MX$15.5K
161.42%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.9
11.45
-48.47%

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

Last update for Dubbo: October 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Dubbo
$1.2K
Playa del Carmen
$382 68.7% $839
Groceries & Markets
Dubbo
$372
Playa del Carmen
$257 30.8% $114
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dubbo
$316
Playa del Carmen
$134 57.5% $182
Eating Out
Dubbo
$294
Playa del Carmen
$200 32% $94
Clothing & Footwear
Dubbo
$163
Playa del Carmen
$111 31.9% $52
Getting Around
Dubbo
$108
Playa del Carmen
$50 53.2% $57
Sport & Entertainment
Dubbo
$85
Playa del Carmen
$66 22.1% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Dubbo versus $995 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 in Dubbo are about 2.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85 in Dubbo versus $44 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $372 vs $257 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Dubbo
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
10:48 10:48 AM
18:48 6:48 PM
16 h behind Dubbo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
38,808
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.699 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 AUD (1 AUD = 0.625 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 18.61 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.81 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Dubbo Playa del Carmen 14,380 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Dubbo
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Dubbo vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Dubbo and in Playa del Carmen compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,561 in Dubbo, $1,202 in Playa del Carmen – Playa del Carmen comes out roughly 53% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Dubbo compared to Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,841 per month in Dubbo and $1,804 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do apartment prices compare in Dubbo and in Playa del Carmen?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $963 in Dubbo and $995 in Playa del Carmen. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Dubbo and Playa del Carmen?
Kindergarten costs $2,166 per month in Dubbo and $207 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 44% more in Dubbo, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,202, than in Dubbo at $2,561. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dubbo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Dubbo and Playa del Carmen?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,202 in Playa del Carmen to $2,561 in Dubbo. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Dubbo and Playa del Carmen?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dubbo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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