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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,162 per month in Durbanville vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,877 per month in Durbanville vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,592 per month in Durbanville vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Durbanville is about 11% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Durbanville and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Durbanville 16% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.66 R 204

$11.96 MX$203

5.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.83 R 802

$47.38 MX$804

5.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.97 R 96.2

$11.75 MX$199

-49.19%

Cappuccino

$2.46 R 39.63

$4.12 MX$70.0

-40.29%

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

$0.92 R 14.83

$1.40 MX$23.74

-34.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 R 10.40

$0.91 MX$15.48

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 R 39.70

$3.21 MX$54.4

-23.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 R 44.69

$7.07 MX$120

-60.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 R 22.81

$1.68 MX$28.44

-15.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 R 20.31

$2.15 MX$36.48

-41.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 R 36.46

$1.77 MX$30.10

27.68%

Eggs

$3.17 R 51.1

$2.82 MX$47.76

12.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.78 R 141

$9.20 MX$156

-4.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.33 R 118

$9.23 MX$157

-20.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.84 R 158

$12.64 MX$214

-22.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 R 30.81

$2.95 MX$50.1

-35.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 R 32.15

$1.58 MX$26.79

26.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 R 28.57

$2.22 MX$37.70

-20.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 R 33.84

$2.36 MX$40.09

-11.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 R 25.39

$1.99 MX$33.81

-20.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 R 25.62

$1.98 MX$33.58

-19.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 R 22.68

$1.24 MX$21.04

13.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 R 18.96

$1.21 MX$20.55

-2.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.83 R 61.6

$4.60 MX$78.1

-16.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.19 R 99.7

$10.52 MX$178

-41.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 R 22.29

$1.69 MX$28.70

-18.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 R 35.16

$2.77 MX$47.06

-21.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 R 23.60

$0.60 MX$10.22

145.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 R 10.32

$5.24 MX$88.8

-87.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 R 24.45

$3.65 MX$61.9

-58.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 R 85.0

$5.78 MX$98.1

-8.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 R 25.39

$1.54 MX$26.09

2.60%

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

$37.0K R 595.5K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

62.19%

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

$33.2K R 534.2K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

28.50%

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

$121 R 1,946

$90.7 MX$1,538

33.27%

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

$32.02 R 516

$25.19 MX$427

27.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 R 636

$31.75 MX$539

24.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.19 R 583

$68.8 MX$1,167

-47.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$9.56 R 154

$4.86 MX$82.5

96.71%

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

$268 R 4,313

$226 MX$3,828

18.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,795 R 109.4K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

62.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 R 961

$47.38 MX$804

25.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.77 R 544

$43.45 MX$737

-22.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 R 1,984

$80.2 MX$1,361

53.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 R 1,782

$91.4 MX$1,550

21.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 R 6,931

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-60.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 R 5,989

$409 MX$6,933

-8.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 R 12.7K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-60.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$788 R 12.7K

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-38.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$870 R 14.0K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-78.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$696 R 11.2K

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-89.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,088 R 17.5K

$773 MX$13.1K

40.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.02

11.45

-3.76%

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

Last update for Durbanville: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Durbanville versus $1,086 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 41% higher in Durbanville, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Durbanville versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $232 in Durbanville vs $278 in Playa del Carmen – so Durbanville wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 12% more than Durbanville, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,744 per month in Durbanville and $1,958 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 Durbanville, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,162 in Durbanville and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $268 per month in Durbanville and $226 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Durbanville, where all-in costs run around $1,162, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Durbanville it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Durbanville costs $1,162 versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Durbanville. 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.