๐A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,792 in Brรธndby, rent included.
๐A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,997 in Brรธndby, rent included.
๐A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,201 in Brรธndby, rent included.
๐Playa del Carmen is about 54% cheaper than Brรธndby, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Brรธndby is 108% above โ they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Brรธndby
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.87MX$204
$23.64DKKย 152
-49.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.90MX$736
$115DKKย 741
-62.71%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.65MX$183
$13.81DKKย 88.9
-22.88%
Cappuccino
$3.45MX$59.2
$6.92DKKย 44.59
-50.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50MX$25.81
$4.34DKKย 27.98
-65.44%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95MX$16.28
$3.14DKKย 20.22
-69.75%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.03MX$51.9
$9.21DKKย 59.3
-67.10%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61MX$79.1
$7.78DKKย 50.1
-40.75%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Brรธndby
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38MX$23.61
$2.02DKKย 13.02
-31.68%
White Bread(500g)
$1.85MX$31.70
$3.16DKKย 20.38
-41.46%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.61MX$27.65
$3.33DKKย 21.44
-51.65%
Eggs
$2.59MX$44.51
$4.80DKKย 30.94
-46.04%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.26MX$142
$14.13DKKย 91.0
-41.54%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.37MX$144
$10.68DKKย 68.8
-21.63%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.66MX$183
$15.71DKKย 101
-32.15%
Apples(1kg)
$2.63MX$45.12
$3.33DKKย 21.42
-21.02%
Banana(1kg)
$1.49MX$25.53
$3.63DKKย 23.38
-58.95%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.92MX$32.94
$3.68DKKย 23.68
-47.83%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.09MX$35.81
$5.47DKKย 35.23
-61.79%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$31.88
$2.63DKKย 16.95
-29.28%
Onion(1kg)
$2.26MX$38.81
$2.17DKKย 13.97
4.15%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.06MX$18.23
$2.24DKKย 14.42
-52.68%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09MX$18.67
$1.70DKKย 10.93
-35.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15MX$71.2
$9.90DKKย 63.8
-58.08%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.39MX$178
$10.28DKKย 66.2
1.07%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72MX$29.59
$1.96DKKย 12.66
-12.24%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61MX$44.85
$2.05DKKย 13.18
27.32%
๐ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Brรธndby
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.30
$3.65DKKย 23.51
-85.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.94MX$462
$77.9DKKย 502
-65.43%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.13MX$53.7
$7.92DKKย 51.0
-60.48%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.51MX$43.09
$1.70DKKย 10.92
47.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.15MX$54.1
$62.5DKKย 402
-94.96%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$21.88
$2.21DKKย 14.20
-42.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4KMX$521.3K
$49.8KDKKย 321.1K
-39.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6KMX$404.5K
$49.2KDKKย 317.1K
-52.13%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Brรธndby
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.0MX$1,425
$199DKKย 1,281
-58.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.71MX$390
$20.21DKKย 130
12.37%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.46MX$506
$42.30DKKย 272
-30.35%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Brรธndby
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.0MX$875
$41.22DKKย 266
23.73%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.33MX$315
$30.30DKKย 195
-39.50%
Cinema Ticket
$4.93MX$84.5
$18.48DKKย 119
-73.32%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Brรธndby
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$197MX$3,386
$633DKKย 4,077
-68.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,280MX$90.6K
$6,155DKKย 39.6K
-14.22%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Brรธndby
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.90MX$633
$104DKKย 669
-64.47%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.89MX$685
$35.29DKKย 227
13.03%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.0MX$1,373
$122DKKย 787
-34.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5MX$1,536
$193DKKย 1,240
-53.53%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Brรธndby
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$956MX$16.4K
$915DKKย 5,890
4.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$477MX$8,189
$1,338DKKย 8,618
-64.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,646MX$28.3K
$1,517DKKย 9,770
8.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,225MX$21.0K
$1,802DKKย 11.6K
-32.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,918MX$67.2K
$4,790DKKย 30.9K
-18.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,459MX$110.9K
$3,408DKKย 21.9K
89.54%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Brรธndby
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$667MX$11.4K
$3,564DKKย 23.0K
-81.29%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
4.19
172.55%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026
Last update for Brรธndby: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $915 in Brรธndby. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
๐ฐSalaries run about 434% higher in Brรธndby, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
๐A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $115 in Brรธndby. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $384 โ making Playa del Carmen 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
Playa del Carmen vs Brรธndby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Playa del Carmen and Brรธndby compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, $2,792 in Brรธndby โ roughly 120% apart. Brรธndby costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Playa del Carmen compared to Brรธndby?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,189 in Brรธndby. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Playa del Carmen and Brรธndby?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 54% more in Brรธndby, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $115 in Brรธndby. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and cafรฉ pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Brรธndby at $2,792. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brรธndby it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Brรธndby?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,271 in Playa del Carmen to $2,792 in Brรธndby. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Playa del Carmen or Brรธndby safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison โ central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Playa del Carmen and Brรธndby?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Brรธndby makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared