Cost of Living Comparison Between Dun Laoghaire and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Dun Laoghaire and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,853 per month in Dun Laoghaire vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,451 per month in Dun Laoghaire vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,049 per month in Dun Laoghaire vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Dun Laoghaire costs about 124% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Dun Laoghaire sits 112% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.36 €15.82

$11.87 MX$204

54.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.6 €81.5

$42.90 MX$736

120.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.06

$10.65 MX$183

-1.31%

Cappuccino

$4.17 €3.59

$3.45 MX$59.2

20.87%

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

$2.36 €2.03

$1.50 MX$25.81

57.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 €1.38

$0.95 MX$16.28

68.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.79 €6.71

$3.03 MX$51.9

157.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.75 €5.82

$4.61 MX$79.1

46.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.38 MX$23.61

25.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.24 €1.93

$1.85 MX$31.70

21.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 €1.74

$1.61 MX$27.65

24.84%

Eggs

$3.99 €3.44

$2.59 MX$44.51

54.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.73 €10.96

$8.26 MX$142

54.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.30 €8.88

$8.37 MX$144

23.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.02 €10.36

$10.66 MX$183

12.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 €2.57

$2.63 MX$45.12

13.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.49 MX$25.53

38.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 €2.41

$1.92 MX$32.94

45.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.54 €3.05

$2.09 MX$35.81

69.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.86 MX$31.88

-26.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 €1.23

$2.26 MX$38.81

-36.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 €1.21

$1.06 MX$18.23

32.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.09 MX$18.67

50.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.71 €16.12

$4.15 MX$71.2

350.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.72 €11.82

$10.39 MX$178

32.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.56 €3.06

$1.72 MX$29.59

106.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.45

$2.61 MX$44.85

53.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 €1.74

$0.54 MX$9.30

274.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.4 €59.8

$26.94 MX$462

157.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.01 €4.32

$3.13 MX$53.7

60.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 €1.15

$2.51 MX$43.09

-47.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.02 €33.62

$3.15 MX$54.1

1138.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 €1.73

$1.27 MX$21.88

57.48%

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

$42.8K €36.9K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

40.85%

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

$38.4K €33.1K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

63.12%

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

$282 €243

$83.0 MX$1,425

239.72%

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

$21.26 €18.32

$22.71 MX$390

-6.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 €49.87

$29.46 MX$506

96.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.15 €35.46

$51.0 MX$875

-19.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$14.07 €12.12

$4.93 MX$84.5

185.40%

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

$1,076 €927

$197 MX$3,386

445.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,418 €7,253

$5,280 MX$90.6K

59.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €87.3

$36.90 MX$633

174.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.30 €34.72

$39.89 MX$685

1.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 €86.2

$80.0 MX$1,373

24.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 €111

$89.5 MX$1,536

44.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,570 €1,353

$956 MX$16.4K

64.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,543 €1,329

$477 MX$8,189

223.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,815 €3,287

$1,646 MX$28.3K

131.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,303 €2,846

$1,225 MX$21.0K

169.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,049 €3,488

$3,918 MX$67.2K

3.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,758 €2,376

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-57.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,431 €3,818

$667 MX$11.4K

564.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

11.42

-60.60%

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

Last update for Dun Laoghaire: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,570 in Dun Laoghaire versus $956 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 run about 564% higher in Dun Laoghaire, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $95.0 in Dun Laoghaire versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $331 vs $250 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,853 in Dun Laoghaire, $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 124% apart. Dun Laoghaire costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,279 per month in Dun Laoghaire and $1,906 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 Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $95.0 in Dun Laoghaire and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,853 in Dun Laoghaire and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Dun Laoghaire at $2,853. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dun Laoghaire it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Dun Laoghaire has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,271 in Playa del Carmen to $2,853 in Dun Laoghaire. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dun Laoghaire makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.