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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $607 in Medan versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $933 in Medan versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,260 in Medan versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Medan costs roughly 53% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medan 56% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.72 Rp 30.6K

$11.71 MX$199

-85.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.73 Rp 155.1K

$46.59 MX$791

-81.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.96 Rp 52.5K

$11.65 MX$198

-74.59%

Cappuccino

$1.55 Rp 27.6K

$4.09 MX$69.5

-62.10%

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

$0.34 Rp 6,114

$1.37 MX$23.34

-75.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,458

$0.83 MX$14.16

-69.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 Rp 30.7K

$3.35 MX$56.9

-48.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 Rp 63.6K

$6.91 MX$117

-48.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

$1.73 MX$29.33

-37.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 Rp 20.2K

$2.26 MX$38.39

-49.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 Rp 14.8K

$1.77 MX$30.05

-53.11%

Eggs

$1.33 Rp 23.6K

$2.73 MX$46.41

-51.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 Rp 140.5K

$9.18 MX$156

-13.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.53 Rp 62.7K

$8.92 MX$151

-60.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.44 Rp 114.4K

$12.60 MX$214

-48.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 Rp 43.2K

$3.02 MX$51.3

-19.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 Rp 18.7K

$1.57 MX$26.68

-33.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 Rp 26.4K

$2.13 MX$36.10

-30.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.96 Rp 17.0K

$2.26 MX$38.46

-57.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$2.00 MX$34.04

-56.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 Rp 30.9K

$2.06 MX$35.06

-15.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 Rp 7,334

$1.18 MX$20.04

-65.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 7,756

$1.20 MX$20.45

-63.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 Rp 53.7K

$4.63 MX$78.7

-34.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.41 Rp 291.5K

$10.69 MX$182

53.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 Rp 34.2K

$1.62 MX$27.50

18.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 Rp 54.0K

$2.88 MX$48.93

5.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,759

$0.57 MX$9.74

-52.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.07 Rp 107.9K

$29.83 MX$507

-79.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,394

$5.45 MX$92.5

-90.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 Rp 3,602

$3.70 MX$62.9

-94.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$102

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$1.55 MX$26.38

-50.32%

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

$24.9K Rp 443.1M

$22.3K MX$379.2K

11.72%

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

$31.6K Rp 561.0M

$25.9K MX$440.7K

21.70%

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

$86.5 Rp 1.5M

$89.1 MX$1,514

-3.00%

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

$3.29 Rp 58.5K

$25.04 MX$425

-86.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.34 Rp 414.6K

$31.50 MX$535

-25.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.06 Rp 303.1K

$67.8 MX$1,151

-74.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.69 Rp 154.3K

$28.92 MX$491

-69.95%

Cinema Ticket

$3.43 Rp 61.0K

$5.05 MX$85.8

-32.08%

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

$114 Rp 2.0M

$225 MX$3,820

-49.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,720 Rp 30.6M

$4,222 MX$71.7K

-59.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 Rp 1.0M

$47.44 MX$806

18.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.16 Rp 695.6K

$44.98 MX$764

-12.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 Rp 1.9M

$82.0 MX$1,392

28.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 Rp 2.0M

$92.1 MX$1,564

24.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 Rp 3.1M

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-83.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$88.9 Rp 1.6M

$405 MX$6,884

-78.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 Rp 8.8M

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-74.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$211 Rp 3.8M

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-83.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,148 Rp 20.4M

$3,995 MX$67.9K

-71.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$571 Rp 10.1M

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-91.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$214 Rp 3.8M

$749 MX$12.7K

-71.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.25

11.45

-19.21%

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

Last update for Medan: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $177 in Medan and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 250% 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: $9.00 in Medan vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $277 per month, with Medan 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

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

Medan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 113% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 250% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $177 in Medan versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medan runs roughly 391% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $114 in Medan versus $225 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $607 in Medan versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medan but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Medan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Medan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 113% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.