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: $651 in Medan versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $982 in Medan versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,313 in Medan versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Medan costs roughly 50% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medan 51% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.83 Rp 32.6K

$11.73 MX$203

-84.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.63 Rp 189.9K

$41.62 MX$720

-74.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.22 Rp 57.4K

$10.64 MX$184

-69.74%

Cappuccino

$1.80 Rp 32.1K

$3.52 MX$60.9

-48.86%

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

$0.40 Rp 7,122

$1.51 MX$26.12

-73.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,419

$0.97 MX$16.84

-74.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 Rp 28.1K

$2.95 MX$51.0

-46.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 Rp 91.7K

$4.45 MX$77.0

15.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 Rp 21.0K

$1.38 MX$23.93

-14.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

$1.89 MX$32.72

-38.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

$1.64 MX$28.32

-46.95%

Eggs

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$2.51 MX$43.34

-37.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.78 Rp 174.6K

$8.34 MX$144

17.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 Rp 69.3K

$8.34 MX$144

-53.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.86 Rp 122.5K

$10.73 MX$186

-36.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 Rp 41.0K

$2.60 MX$45.04

-11.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 Rp 17.8K

$1.46 MX$25.20

-31.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 Rp 26.3K

$1.90 MX$32.87

-22.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 Rp 16.8K

$2.08 MX$35.91

-54.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 Rp 13.2K

$1.78 MX$30.71

-58.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 Rp 23.1K

$2.19 MX$37.80

-41.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 Rp 8,163

$1.04 MX$17.99

-55.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 Rp 8,201

$1.08 MX$18.62

-57.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.48 Rp 44.2K

$4.08 MX$70.6

-39.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.75 Rp 281.3K

$10.32 MX$178

52.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 Rp 24.1K

$1.71 MX$29.61

-21.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 Rp 56.6K

$2.58 MX$44.54

22.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,318

$0.51 MX$8.81

-41.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.86 Rp 176.1K

$26.46 MX$458

-62.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,345

$3.26 MX$56.4

-84.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 Rp 3,931

$2.49 MX$43.09

-91.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.27 Rp 111.9K

$3.25 MX$56.2

92.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$1.31 MX$22.61

-37.40%

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

$28.1K Rp 501.4M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-7.28%

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

$33.8K Rp 604.3M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

44.44%

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

$83.4 Rp 1.5M

$82.9 MX$1,433

0.64%

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

$3.64 Rp 65.1K

$22.22 MX$384

-83.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.53 Rp 598.8K

$29.34 MX$507

14.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.40 Rp 417.8K

$51.6 MX$893

-54.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.27 Rp 129.8K

$18.32 MX$317

-60.32%

Cinema Ticket

$3.58 Rp 63.9K

$5.07 MX$87.6

-29.39%

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

$126 Rp 2.3M

$201 MX$3,473

-37.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K Rp 188.8M

$5,212 MX$90.1K

102.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.3 Rp 1.2M

$36.92 MX$639

79.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.49 Rp 758.9K

$39.79 MX$688

6.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 Rp 2.1M

$78.5 MX$1,357

47.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.6 Rp 1.2M

$87.1 MX$1,506

-24.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$191 Rp 3.4M

$973 MX$16.8K

-80.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$468 MX$8,090

-78.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$544 Rp 9.7M

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-66.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 Rp 4.1M

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-81.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,176 Rp 21.0M

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-70.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$567 Rp 10.1M

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-91.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$215 Rp 3.8M

$664 MX$11.5K

-67.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.25

11.42

-19.00%

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

Last update for Medan: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $191 in Medan and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 209% 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: $11.00 in Medan vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $187 vs $249 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 99% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 209% less. 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: $191 in Medan versus $973 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 168% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $126 in Medan versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $651 in Medan versus $1,297 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 99% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.