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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $780 per month in Dura vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,302 per month in Dura vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,824 per month in Dura vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Dura is about 40% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Dura and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Dura 42% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.96 ₪39.76

$11.73 MX$203

19.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.7 ₪161

$41.62 MX$720

36.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.18 ₪31.83

$10.64 MX$184

5.08%

Cappuccino

$1.94 ₪5.52

$3.52 MX$60.9

-44.89%

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

$0.74 ₪2.10

$1.51 MX$26.12

-50.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₪1.61

$0.97 MX$16.84

-42.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.64 ₪16.07

$2.95 MX$51.0

91.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.66 ₪16.10

$4.45 MX$77.0

27.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 ₪6.30

$1.38 MX$23.93

60.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 ₪3.14

$1.89 MX$32.72

-41.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₪7.15

$1.64 MX$28.32

53.05%

Eggs

$4.04 ₪11.50

$2.51 MX$43.34

60.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.63 ₪21.72

$8.34 MX$144

-8.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.85 ₪25.20

$8.34 MX$144

6.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.64 ₪50.2

$10.73 MX$186

64.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 ₪7.51

$2.60 MX$45.04

1.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 ₪5.45

$1.46 MX$25.20

30.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ₪5.64

$1.90 MX$32.87

4.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 ₪5.76

$2.08 MX$35.91

-2.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 ₪3.13

$1.78 MX$30.71

-38.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 ₪3.99

$2.19 MX$37.80

-36.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 ₪4.07

$1.04 MX$17.99

37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₪2.28

$1.08 MX$18.62

-25.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.04 ₪22.89

$4.08 MX$70.6

97.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₪7.94

$1.71 MX$29.61

63.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 ₪7.11

$2.58 MX$44.54

-3.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 ₪8.00

$3.26 MX$56.4

-13.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.21 ₪40.45

$3.25 MX$56.2

337.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 ₪6.03

$1.31 MX$22.61

61.83%

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

$39.2K ₪111.6K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

29.45%

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

$46.6K ₪132.7K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

98.85%

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

$84.3 ₪240

$82.9 MX$1,433

1.70%

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

$18.85 ₪53.7

$22.22 MX$384

-15.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.87 ₪131

$29.34 MX$507

56.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$8.95 ₪25.49

$5.07 MX$87.6

76.53%

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

$218 ₪621

$201 MX$3,473

8.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,817 ₪10.9K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-26.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 ₪178

$36.92 MX$639

69.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.65 ₪107

$39.79 MX$688

-5.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 ₪270

$78.5 MX$1,357

20.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ₪209

$87.1 MX$1,506

-15.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.62

11.42

-50.79%

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

Last update for Dura: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Dura versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $263 vs $249 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $780 in Dura, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 66% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,170 per month in Dura and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $780 in Dura and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $218 per month in Dura and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Dura, where all-in costs run around $780, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Dura it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $780 in Dura to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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