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: $519 in Duma versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $796 in Duma versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,074 in Duma versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Duma costs roughly 60% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Duma 61% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.98 SYP 661

$11.73 MX$203

-49.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.51 SYP 3,040

$41.62 MX$721

-33.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.49 SYP 606

$10.64 MX$184

-48.40%

Cappuccino

$1.56 SYP 172

$3.52 MX$61.0

-55.68%

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

$1.13 SYP 125

$1.51 MX$26.17

-25.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 SYP 76.0

$0.97 MX$16.87

-28.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 SYP 179

$2.95 MX$51.1

-45.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 SYP 273

$4.45 MX$77.2

-44.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 SYP 113

$1.38 MX$23.97

-26.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 SYP 65.9

$1.89 MX$32.78

-68.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 SYP 188

$1.64 MX$28.37

3.66%

Eggs

$1.86 SYP 206

$2.51 MX$43.42

-25.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.01 SYP 332

$8.34 MX$145

-63.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.72 SYP 853

$8.34 MX$145

-7.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.26 SYP 1,244

$10.73 MX$186

4.94%

Apples (1kg)

$0.88 SYP 97.0

$2.60 MX$45.12

-66.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 SYP 190

$1.46 MX$25.25

17.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 SYP 114

$1.90 MX$32.94

-45.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.96 SYP 106

$2.08 MX$35.98

-53.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 SYP 68.0

$1.78 MX$30.77

-65.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 SYP 72.8

$2.19 MX$37.87

-69.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 SYP 41.55

$1.04 MX$18.02

-63.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 SYP 68.9

$1.08 MX$18.66

-42.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 SYP 334

$4.08 MX$70.7

-25.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.94 SYP 656

$10.32 MX$179

-42.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 SYP 112

$1.71 MX$29.67

-40.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 SYP 203

$2.58 MX$44.63

-28.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 SYP 109

$3.26 MX$56.5

-69.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 SYP 136

$2.49 MX$43.17

-50.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.38 SYP 705

$3.25 MX$56.3

96.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.76 SYP 415

$1.31 MX$22.65

187.02%

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

$18.6K SYP 2.1M

$30.3K MX$524.7K

-38.50%

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

$21.0K SYP 2.3M

$23.4K MX$406.0K

-10.32%

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

$100 SYP 11.1K

$82.9 MX$1,436

20.94%

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

$8.60 SYP 950

$22.22 MX$385

-61.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.2 SYP 6,102

$29.34 MX$508

88.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$3.02 SYP 334

$5.07 MX$87.8

-40.43%

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

$43.19 SYP 4,773

$201 MX$3,480

-78.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,854 SYP 204.8K

$5,212 MX$90.3K

-64.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.12 SYP 3,218

$36.92 MX$640

-21.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.61 SYP 2,830

$39.79 MX$689

-35.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.12 SYP 4,986

$78.5 MX$1,360

-42.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.0 SYP 6,184

$87.1 MX$1,509

-35.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $28.00 in Duma vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $168 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 150% 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 $778 in Duma and $1,945 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 48% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $519 per month in Duma versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 150% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $519 in Duma versus $1,297 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 $519 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 150% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.