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: $640 in Medan versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $988 in Medan versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,336 in Medan versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Medan costs roughly 49% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medan 52% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.88 Rp 33.6K

$11.99 MX$210

-84.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.72 Rp 191.8K

$41.78 MX$731

-74.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.28 Rp 58.7K

$10.75 MX$188

-69.49%

Cappuccino

$1.80 Rp 32.1K

$3.50 MX$61.1

-48.57%

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

$0.39 Rp 7,031

$1.45 MX$25.33

-73.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 Rp 4,855

$0.88 MX$15.47

-69.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$2.95 MX$51.6

-47.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.24 Rp 93.8K

$4.51 MX$78.9

16.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

$1.43 MX$25.04

-17.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

$1.84 MX$32.13

-35.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

$1.57 MX$27.42

-47.13%

Eggs

$1.53 Rp 27.3K

$2.51 MX$43.92

-39.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 Rp 168.1K

$8.28 MX$145

13.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 66.4K

$8.43 MX$147

-55.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.83 Rp 122.2K

$10.68 MX$187

-36.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 Rp 41.6K

$2.61 MX$45.62

-11.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 Rp 17.8K

$1.44 MX$25.15

-30.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 Rp 27.4K

$1.96 MX$34.31

-21.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 Rp 15.8K

$2.09 MX$36.62

-57.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

$1.85 MX$32.37

-59.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.7K

$2.17 MX$37.90

-41.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 Rp 8,138

$1.03 MX$18.04

-56.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 Rp 8,778

$1.07 MX$18.78

-54.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.48 Rp 44.3K

$4.10 MX$71.7

-39.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.90 Rp 284.5K

$10.17 MX$178

56.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 Rp 24.3K

$1.68 MX$29.29

-19.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 Rp 56.7K

$2.53 MX$44.17

25.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,810

$0.51 MX$8.90

-37.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.59 Rp 171.5K

$26.04 MX$455

-63.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 Rp 10.3K

$3.23 MX$56.5

-82.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 Rp 3,944

$2.41 MX$42.06

-90.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 Rp 110.5K

$3.23 MX$56.5

91.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$1.32 MX$23.10

-37.88%

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

$28.0K Rp 501.3M

$29.7K MX$519.2K

-5.64%

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

$33.9K Rp 606.5M

$23.7K MX$413.7K

43.27%

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

$83.7 Rp 1.5M

$82.0 MX$1,434

2.00%

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

$3.67 Rp 65.7K

$22.95 MX$401

-84.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.25 Rp 612.7K

$30.11 MX$527

13.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 Rp 415.1K

$52.0 MX$909

-55.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.12 Rp 127.4K

$18.53 MX$324

-61.58%

Cinema Ticket

$3.49 Rp 62.5K

$4.98 MX$87.0

-29.92%

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

$123 Rp 2.2M

$197 MX$3,452

-37.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K Rp 189.5M

$5,336 MX$93.3K

98.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.4 Rp 1.2M

$35.60 MX$622

86.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.18 Rp 754.5K

$40.33 MX$705

4.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 Rp 2.1M

$78.8 MX$1,377

46.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.5 Rp 1.2M

$88.9 MX$1,555

-26.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$196 Rp 3.5M

$947 MX$16.6K

-79.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$100 Rp 1.8M

$474 MX$8,288

-78.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 Rp 9.5M

$1,644 MX$28.7K

-67.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 Rp 4.2M

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-80.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,110 Rp 19.8M

$4,056 MX$70.9K

-72.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$550 Rp 9.8M

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-91.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$213 Rp 3.8M

$654 MX$11.4K

-67.38%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $196 in Medan and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 207% 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 $186 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 96% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 207% 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: $196 in Medan 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 Medan runs roughly 172% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $123 in Medan versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $640 in Medan versus $1,256 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 96% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.