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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $521 in Duma versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $821 in Duma versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,122 in Duma versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Duma costs roughly 59% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Duma 61% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.90 SYP 717

$11.99 MX$210

-50.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.28 SYP 3,315

$41.78 MX$733

-34.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.34 SYP 648

$10.75 MX$189

-50.33%

Cappuccino

$1.57 SYP 190

$3.50 MX$61.3

-55.14%

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

$1.17 SYP 142

$1.45 MX$25.41

-19.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 SYP 88.8

$0.88 MX$15.52

-17.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 SYP 200

$2.95 MX$51.7

-44.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 SYP 307

$4.51 MX$79.1

-43.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 SYP 119

$1.43 MX$25.12

-31.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 SYP 71.7

$1.84 MX$32.23

-67.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 SYP 212

$1.57 MX$27.51

11.46%

Eggs

$1.92 SYP 233

$2.51 MX$44.06

-23.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.14 SYP 382

$8.28 MX$145

-62.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.79 SYP 946

$8.43 MX$148

-7.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.49 SYP 1,396

$10.68 MX$187

7.58%

Apples (1kg)

$0.86 SYP 104

$2.61 MX$45.76

-67.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 SYP 209

$1.44 MX$25.22

19.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 SYP 126

$1.96 MX$34.41

-46.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.95 SYP 116

$2.09 MX$36.74

-54.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 SYP 74.5

$1.85 MX$32.47

-67.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 SYP 80.5

$2.17 MX$38.02

-69.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 SYP 49.11

$1.03 MX$18.09

-61.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 SYP 75.1

$1.07 MX$18.84

-42.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.08 SYP 374

$4.10 MX$72.0

-24.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.13 SYP 988

$10.17 MX$178

-20.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 SYP 119

$1.68 MX$29.38

-41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SYP 225

$2.53 MX$44.31

-26.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 SYP 120

$3.23 MX$56.7

-69.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 SYP 149

$2.41 MX$42.19

-49.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.62 SYP 805

$3.23 MX$56.6

104.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.77 SYP 458

$1.32 MX$23.17

185.61%

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

$18.6K SYP 2.3M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-37.24%

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

$21.1K SYP 2.6M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-10.77%

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

$103 SYP 12.5K

$82.0 MX$1,439

25.03%

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

$8.58 SYP 1,043

$22.95 MX$403

-62.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.8 SYP 6,661

$30.11 MX$528

82.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$3.09 SYP 375

$4.98 MX$87.3

-37.95%

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

$42.91 SYP 5,215

$197 MX$3,463

-78.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,824 SYP 221.7K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-65.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.66 SYP 3,605

$35.60 MX$624

-16.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.49 SYP 3,098

$40.33 MX$707

-36.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.19 SYP 5,370

$78.8 MX$1,381

-43.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.6 SYP 6,753

$88.9 MX$1,560

-37.51%

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 %)

13.75

11.42

20.40%

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

Last update for Duma: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $27.00 in Duma vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $174 vs $249 per month, with Duma cheaper across the board.

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

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

Duma wins on cost – living expenses run 141% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Duma the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $782 in Duma 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 43% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $521 per month in Duma versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 141% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $521 in Duma versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Duma but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Duma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Duma delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $521 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Duma hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Duma 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 Duma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 141% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.