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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,278 in Assens.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,500 in Assens.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,722 in Assens.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 44% less than in Assens, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 4% below, Assens is 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$25.98 DKK 166

-54.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$110 DKK 703

-61.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$15.25 DKK 97.3

-30.56%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$6.06 DKK 38.67

-40.26%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$3.88 DKK 24.78

-62.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$2.98 DKK 18.99

-68.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$7.28 DKK 46.44

-57.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$6.06 DKK 38.63

-26.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.08 DKK 13.25

-31.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$4.32 DKK 27.53

-56.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$2.70 DKK 17.20

-39.63%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$4.88 DKK 31.16

-45.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$19.43 DKK 124

-57.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$9.75 DKK 62.2

-14.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$23.64 DKK 151

-53.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.98 DKK 19.04

-11.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$3.58 DKK 22.87

-58.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$4.86 DKK 31.03

-59.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$3.51 DKK 22.36

-40.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$2.26 DKK 14.39

-20.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.69 DKK 10.76

28.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$2.11 DKK 13.43

-48.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.64 DKK 10.46

-36.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$9.99 DKK 63.7

-60.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$11.66 DKK 74.4

-12.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.73 DKK 17.40

-36.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.95 DKK 25.20

-36.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$3.73 DKK 23.81

-86.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$78.4 DKK 500

-65.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$9.27 DKK 59.2

-66.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$2.06 DKK 13.12

16.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$66.2 DKK 423

-95.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$2.15 DKK 13.69

-40.93%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$47.1K DKK 300.2K

-34.37%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$55.2K DKK 352.4K

-57.79%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$305 DKK 1,949

-73.15%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$21.43 DKK 137

4.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$49.23 DKK 314

-39.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$41.57 DKK 265

24.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$29.36 DKK 187

-36.41%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$23.23 DKK 148

-78.61%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$495 DKK 3,157

-60.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$4,698 DKK 30.0K

12.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$91.7 DKK 585

-60.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$39.10 DKK 249

2.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$119 DKK 761

-33.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$172 DKK 1,100

-48.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$908 DKK 5,793

6.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$712 DKK 4,542

-34.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$1,532 DKK 9,775

4.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$1,169 DKK 7,460

3.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$4,684 DKK 29.9K

-15.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$3,720 DKK 23.7K

73.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.62

147.19%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Assens: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $908 in Assens. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $110 in Assens for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $429 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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

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

Playa del Carmen and Assens differ by about 77% in total monthly costs ($1,287 vs $2,278 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $3,416 in Assens to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $908 in Assens. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $110 in Assens. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,278 in Assens – a 77% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,278 in Assens, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Assens. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Assens are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in Assens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.