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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,857 in Dunedin versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,803 in Dunedin versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,748 in Dunedin versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Dunedin is roughly 48% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dunedin is 39% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.97 NZ$20.48

$11.99 MX$210

-0.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.7 NZ$123

$41.78 MX$731

71.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.05 NZ$18.91

$10.75 MX$188

2.79%

Cappuccino

$3.46 NZ$5.92

$3.50 MX$61.1

-1.14%

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

$2.20 NZ$3.77

$1.45 MX$25.33

51.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 NZ$3.50

$0.88 MX$15.47

131.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.21 NZ$12.33

$2.95 MX$51.6

144.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 NZ$10.03

$4.51 MX$78.9

29.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 NZ$3.55

$1.43 MX$25.04

44.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 NZ$3.41

$1.84 MX$32.13

8.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 NZ$3.22

$1.57 MX$27.42

19.75%

Eggs

$5.71 NZ$9.77

$2.51 MX$43.92

127.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 NZ$14.45

$8.28 MX$145

1.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.71 NZ$18.32

$8.43 MX$147

27.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.14 NZ$22.48

$10.68 MX$187

23.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 NZ$4.96

$2.61 MX$45.62

11.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 NZ$3.84

$1.44 MX$25.15

55.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.44 NZ$5.88

$1.96 MX$34.31

75.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.47 NZ$7.65

$2.09 MX$36.62

113.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.39

$1.85 MX$32.37

7.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.39

$2.17 MX$37.90

-8.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 NZ$4.34

$1.03 MX$18.04

146.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 NZ$1.89

$1.07 MX$18.78

2.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.44 NZ$41.81

$4.10 MX$71.7

496.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.76 NZ$14.98

$10.17 MX$178

-13.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 NZ$4.41

$1.68 MX$29.29

53.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 NZ$6.26

$2.53 MX$44.17

44.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 NZ$2.05

$0.51 MX$8.90

135.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.9 NZ$125

$26.04 MX$455

179.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 NZ$10.44

$3.23 MX$56.5

88.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 NZ$1.94

$2.41 MX$42.06

-53.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.14 NZ$51.6

$3.23 MX$56.5

833.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 NZ$2.82

$1.32 MX$23.10

25.00%

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

$19.7K NZ$33.6K

$29.7K MX$519.2K

-33.77%

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

$25.2K NZ$43.2K

$23.7K MX$413.7K

6.67%

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

$102 NZ$175

$82.0 MX$1,434

24.72%

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

$36.07 NZ$61.7

$22.95 MX$401

57.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.4 NZ$93.1

$30.11 MX$527

80.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 NZ$89.1

$52.0 MX$909

0.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.20 NZ$10.61

$18.53 MX$324

-66.54%

Cinema Ticket

$9.56 NZ$16.36

$4.98 MX$87.0

91.97%

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

$584 NZ$999

$197 MX$3,452

195.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K NZ$20.5K

$5,336 MX$93.3K

124.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.7 NZ$114

$35.60 MX$622

87.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.81 NZ$61.3

$40.33 MX$705

-11.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 NZ$166

$78.8 MX$1,377

22.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 NZ$209

$88.9 MX$1,555

37.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$895 NZ$1,532

$947 MX$16.6K

-5.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$776 NZ$1,327

$474 MX$8,288

63.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 NZ$2,607

$1,644 MX$28.7K

-7.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 NZ$2,237

$1,211 MX$21.2K

8.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,229 NZ$3,813

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-65.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,522 NZ$4,315

$654 MX$11.4K

285.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

11.42

-38.09%

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

Last update for Dunedin: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $895 in Dunedin and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dunedin pays 286% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $72.0 in Dunedin vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $324 vs $249 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

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

Dunedin and Playa del Carmen differ by about 48% in total monthly costs ($1,857 vs $1,256 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 286% higher in Dunedin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $895 in Dunedin versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 180% less than in Dunedin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $584 in Dunedin versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,857 in Dunedin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Dunedin. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Dunedin 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.