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: $650 in Duma versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,027 in Duma versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,404 in Duma versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Duma costs roughly 49% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Duma 52% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.11 SYP 1,228

$11.60 MX$200

-12.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.95 SYP 5,461

$47.11 MX$812

-4.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.82 SYP 829

$11.88 MX$205

-42.59%

Cappuccino

$3.63 SYP 441

$3.98 MX$68.6

-8.79%

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

$2.28 SYP 277

$1.43 MX$24.60

59.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 SYP 103

$0.82 MX$14.22

2.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 SYP 229

$3.19 MX$55.0

-41.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 SYP 362

$6.79 MX$117

-56.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 SYP 129

$1.68 MX$28.89

-36.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 SYP 50.2

$2.20 MX$37.88

-81.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 SYP 200

$1.71 MX$29.45

-4.09%

Eggs

$1.57 SYP 191

$2.74 MX$47.26

-42.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.98 SYP 483

$9.58 MX$165

-58.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 SYP 684

$9.01 MX$155

-37.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.62 SYP 1,655

$12.81 MX$221

6.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 SYP 130

$2.89 MX$49.81

-62.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 SYP 171

$1.50 MX$25.81

-6.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 SYP 139

$2.15 MX$37.03

-46.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 SYP 128

$2.26 MX$38.96

-53.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 SYP 95.8

$1.98 MX$34.15

-60.10%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 SYP 96.6

$1.99 MX$34.30

-60.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 SYP 53.4

$1.23 MX$21.28

-64.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 SYP 80.2

$1.20 MX$20.63

-45.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 SYP 341

$4.55 MX$78.5

-38.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 SYP 742

$10.37 MX$179

-41.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 SYP 133

$1.62 MX$27.91

-32.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 SYP 344

$2.88 MX$49.67

-1.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 SYP 123

$5.39 MX$92.9

-81.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 SYP 182

$3.73 MX$64.3

-60.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.82 SYP 950

$5.77 MX$99.5

35.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.67 SYP 446

$1.54 MX$26.48

138.31%

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

$15.1K SYP 1.8M

$22.5K MX$388.8K

-33.01%

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

$19.0K SYP 2.3M

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-26.99%

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

$141 SYP 17.1K

$91.4 MX$1,576

54.26%

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

$9.38 SYP 1,139

$25.20 MX$435

-62.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.81 SYP 5,566

$31.24 MX$539

46.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 SYP 664

$4.86 MX$83.8

12.35%

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

$65.5 SYP 7,959

$224 MX$3,856

-70.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,790 SYP 217.5K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

-57.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.12 SYP 3,538

$47.10 MX$812

-38.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 SYP 4,891

$44.29 MX$764

-9.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.6 SYP 7,238

$80.1 MX$1,381

-25.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 SYP 6,949

$92.7 MX$1,598

-38.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.25

11.45

24.45%

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

Last update for Duma: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $45.00 in Duma vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $169 vs $276 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 95% 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 $975 in Duma and $1,899 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 63% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $650 per month in Duma versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 95% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $650 in Duma versus $1,266 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 $650 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 95% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.