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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $526 per month in Medea vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $841 per month in Medea vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,156 per month in Medea vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Medea is about 59% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medea and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Medea 61% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.02 DZD 267

$11.87 MX$204

-82.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.08 DZD 3,192

$42.90 MX$736

-43.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.05 DZD 537

$10.65 MX$183

-61.97%

Cappuccino

$0.35 DZD 46.13

$3.45 MX$59.2

-89.86%

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

$0.45 DZD 59.8

$1.50 MX$25.81

-70.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 DZD 26.07

$0.95 MX$16.28

-78.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 DZD 266

$3.03 MX$51.9

-33.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 DZD 322

$4.61 MX$79.1

-47.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 DZD 133

$1.38 MX$23.61

-27.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.07 DZD 9.70

$1.85 MX$31.70

-96.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 DZD 156

$1.61 MX$27.65

-27.33%

Eggs

$1.47 DZD 194

$2.59 MX$44.51

-43.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.76 DZD 1,161

$8.26 MX$142

6.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.06 DZD 670

$8.37 MX$144

-39.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 DZD 2,222

$10.66 MX$183

57.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 DZD 426

$2.63 MX$45.12

22.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 DZD 380

$1.49 MX$25.53

92.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 DZD 235

$1.92 MX$32.94

-7.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.61 DZD 81.2

$2.09 MX$35.81

-70.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 DZD 84.5

$1.86 MX$31.88

-65.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 DZD 65.2

$2.26 MX$38.81

-78.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 DZD 96.3

$1.06 MX$18.23

-31.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 DZD 36.73

$1.09 MX$18.67

-74.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 DZD 282

$4.15 MX$71.2

-48.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.90 DZD 914

$10.39 MX$178

-33.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 DZD 177

$1.72 MX$29.59

-22.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 DZD 289

$2.61 MX$44.85

-16.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 DZD 33.40

$0.54 MX$9.30

-53.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.49 DZD 2,318

$26.94 MX$462

-35.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 DZD 93.1

$3.13 MX$53.7

-77.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 DZD 48.48

$2.51 MX$43.09

-85.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.61 DZD 744

$3.15 MX$54.1

78.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 DZD 44.16

$1.27 MX$21.88

-74.02%

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

$20.0K DZD 2.7M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-34.10%

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

$34.2K DZD 4.5M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

45.09%

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

$18.80 DZD 2,492

$83.0 MX$1,425

-77.35%

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

$8.22 DZD 1,089

$22.71 MX$390

-63.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.67 DZD 2,343

$29.46 MX$506

-40.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.44 DZD 3,107

$51.0 MX$875

-54.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.02 DZD 268

$18.33 MX$315

-88.98%

Cinema Ticket

$3.57 DZD 473

$4.93 MX$84.5

-27.59%

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

$39.71 DZD 5,264

$197 MX$3,386

-79.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,648 DZD 483.5K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-30.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.42 DZD 2,707

$36.90 MX$633

-44.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.56 DZD 4,183

$39.89 MX$685

-20.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$31.47 DZD 4,171

$80.0 MX$1,373

-60.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.8 DZD 7,396

$89.5 MX$1,536

-37.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$195 DZD 25.8K

$956 MX$16.4K

-79.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$117 DZD 15.5K

$477 MX$8,189

-75.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 DZD 35.9K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-83.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 DZD 24.2K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-85.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,115 DZD 147.8K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-71.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,135 DZD 150.4K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-82.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$332 DZD 44.0K

$667 MX$11.4K

-50.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-56.22%

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

Last update for Medea: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $195 in Medea versus $956 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 101% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Medea versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $201 vs $250 – making Medea 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 142%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $788 per month in Medea and $1,906 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 Medea, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Medea and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $526 in Medea and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medea, where all-in costs run around $526, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Medea it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medea – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Medea. 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.