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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,219 per month in Dubna vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,904 per month in Dubna vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,589 per month in Dubna vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Dubna is about 4% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Dubna and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Dubna 11% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 ₽980

$11.60 MX$200

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.2 ₽5,003

$47.11 MX$812

25.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.82 ₽576

$11.88 MX$205

-42.59%

Cappuccino

$3.52 ₽297

$3.98 MX$68.6

-11.56%

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

$1.49 ₽126

$1.43 MX$24.60

4.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₽64.7

$0.82 MX$14.22

-6.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 ₽145

$3.19 MX$55.0

-46.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 ₽385

$6.79 MX$117

-32.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 ₽101

$1.68 MX$28.89

-28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 ₽85.3

$2.20 MX$37.88

-54.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 ₽136

$1.71 MX$29.45

-6.43%

Eggs

$1.80 ₽152

$2.74 MX$47.26

-34.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.07 ₽1,105

$9.58 MX$165

36.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.17 ₽521

$9.01 MX$155

-31.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.06 ₽1,188

$12.81 MX$221

9.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ₽167

$2.89 MX$49.81

-31.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₽149

$1.50 MX$25.81

18.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ₽160

$2.15 MX$37.03

-12.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.88 ₽328

$2.26 MX$38.96

71.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 ₽76.4

$1.98 MX$34.15

-54.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 ₽55.6

$1.99 MX$34.30

-66.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 ₽127

$1.23 MX$21.28

22.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ₽73.4

$1.20 MX$20.63

-27.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₽283

$4.55 MX$78.5

-26.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.42 ₽965

$10.37 MX$179

10.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ₽99.2

$1.62 MX$27.91

-27.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 ₽205

$2.88 MX$49.67

-15.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ₽41.19

$0.60 MX$10.35

-18.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 ₽287

$5.39 MX$92.9

-36.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 ₽25.82

$3.73 MX$64.3

-91.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.34 ₽874

$5.77 MX$99.5

79.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 ₽73.3

$1.54 MX$26.48

-43.51%

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

$37.0K ₽3.1M

$22.5K MX$388.8K

64.01%

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

$37.6K ₽3.2M

$26.1K MX$449.3K

44.29%

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

$185 ₽15.6K

$91.4 MX$1,576

102.20%

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

$8.78 ₽742

$25.20 MX$435

-65.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.34 ₽789

$31.24 MX$539

-70.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.76 ₽2,937

$67.2 MX$1,159

-48.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.42 ₽1,979

$29.11 MX$502

-19.55%

Cinema Ticket

$8.50 ₽719

$4.86 MX$83.8

74.90%

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

$305 ₽25.8K

$224 MX$3,856

36.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,362 ₽537.6K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

50.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 ₽8,580

$47.10 MX$812

115.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.2 ₽5,082

$44.29 MX$764

35.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 ₽12.2K

$80.1 MX$1,381

79.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$172 ₽14.5K

$92.7 MX$1,598

85.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$461 ₽39.0K

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-56.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$311 ₽26.3K

$390 MX$6,728

-20.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$793 ₽67.0K

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-63.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$533 ₽45.0K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-58.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,229 ₽188.3K

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-44.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,419 ₽119.9K

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-78.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.86

11.45

73.45%

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

Last update for Dubna: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $461 in Dubna versus $1,063 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Dubna versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Dubna vs $276 in Playa del Carmen – so Dubna wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 4% more than Dubna, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,829 per month in Dubna and $1,899 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 Dubna, 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 $1,219 in Dubna and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Dubna and $224 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dubna, where all-in costs run around $1,219, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Dubna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dubna costs $1,219 versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Dubna. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.