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 $473 per month in Medea vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $811 per month in Medea vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,150 per month in Medea vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Medea is about 63% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medea and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Medea 65% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 DZD 261

$11.60 MX$200

-83.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.14 DZD 3,892

$47.11 MX$812

-38.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.90 DZD 521

$11.88 MX$205

-67.17%

Cappuccino

$0.35 DZD 46.13

$3.98 MX$68.6

-91.21%

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

$0.45 DZD 60.3

$1.43 MX$24.60

-68.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 DZD 28.13

$0.82 MX$14.22

-74.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 DZD 310

$3.19 MX$55.0

-27.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 DZD 312

$6.79 MX$117

-65.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 DZD 116

$1.68 MX$28.89

-48.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.07 DZD 9.92

$2.20 MX$37.88

-96.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 DZD 160

$1.71 MX$29.45

-30.41%

Eggs

$1.38 DZD 185

$2.74 MX$47.26

-49.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.30 DZD 1,108

$9.58 MX$165

-13.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.11 DZD 550

$9.01 MX$155

-54.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.00 DZD 2,003

$12.81 MX$221

17.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 DZD 292

$2.89 MX$49.81

-24.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 DZD 378

$1.50 MX$25.81

88.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 DZD 154

$2.15 MX$37.03

-46.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 DZD 76.2

$2.26 MX$38.96

-74.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 DZD 79.9

$1.98 MX$34.15

-69.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 DZD 68.5

$1.99 MX$34.30

-74.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 DZD 110

$1.23 MX$21.28

-33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.26 DZD 34.56

$1.20 MX$20.63

-78.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.15 DZD 287

$4.55 MX$78.5

-52.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.80 DZD 908

$10.37 MX$179

-34.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 DZD 174

$1.62 MX$27.91

-19.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 DZD 265

$2.88 MX$49.67

-31.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 DZD 24.16

$0.60 MX$10.35

-70.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.48 DZD 866

$28.80 MX$497

-77.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 DZD 81.1

$5.39 MX$92.9

-88.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 DZD 60.1

$3.73 MX$64.3

-87.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.89 DZD 787

$5.77 MX$99.5

2.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.37 DZD 48.86

$1.54 MX$26.48

-75.97%

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

$19.9K DZD 2.7M

$22.5K MX$388.8K

-11.62%

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

$36.1K DZD 4.8M

$26.1K MX$449.3K

38.65%

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

$18.96 DZD 2,532

$91.4 MX$1,576

-79.25%

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

$7.79 DZD 1,041

$25.20 MX$435

-69.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.61 DZD 1,684

$31.24 MX$539

-59.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.68 DZD 2,763

$67.2 MX$1,159

-69.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.99 DZD 266

$29.11 MX$502

-93.16%

Cinema Ticket

$3.57 DZD 477

$4.86 MX$83.8

-26.54%

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

$40.39 DZD 5,395

$224 MX$3,856

-81.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,587 DZD 880.0K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

55.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.61 DZD 2,620

$47.10 MX$812

-58.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.60 DZD 4,221

$44.29 MX$764

-28.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$32.46 DZD 4,336

$80.1 MX$1,381

-59.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.1 DZD 7,625

$92.7 MX$1,598

-38.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$159 DZD 21.2K

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-85.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 DZD 14.4K

$390 MX$6,728

-72.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 DZD 38.2K

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-86.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$205 DZD 27.4K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-83.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,282 DZD 171.3K

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-67.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$406 DZD 54.2K

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-93.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$321 DZD 42.9K

$758 MX$13.1K

-57.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-56.33%

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

Last update for Medea: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $159 in Medea versus $1,063 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 136% 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 $29.00 in Medea versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $276 – 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 168%, 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 $709 per month in Medea and $1,899 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 $29.00 in Medea and $47.00 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 $473 in Medea and $1,266 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 $473, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.