๐A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $395 in Dadeldhurฤ, rent included.
๐A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $654 in Dadeldhurฤ, rent included.
๐A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $913 in Dadeldhurฤ, rent included.
๐Playa del Carmen costs about 228% more than Dadeldhurฤ, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐Both Playa del Carmen and Dadeldhurฤ are more affordable than the global median โ Playa del Carmen3% lower, Dadeldhurฤ71% lower.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Dadeldhurฤ
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.73MX$203
$1.79NPRย 272
555.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.62MX$720
$19.30NPRย 2,938
115.65%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.64MX$184
$6.51NPRย 990
63.44%
Cappuccino
$3.52MX$60.9
$1.48NPRย 225
137.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51MX$26.12
$0.50NPRย 75.4
202.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97MX$16.84
$0.17NPRย 25.27
470.59%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.95MX$51.0
$2.63NPRย 401
12.17%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.45MX$77.0
$3.62NPRย 551
22.93%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Dadeldhurฤ
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38MX$23.93
$0.80NPRย 122
72.50%
White Bread(500g)
$1.89MX$32.72
$0.59NPRย 90.1
220.34%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.64MX$28.32
$0.80NPRย 122
105.00%
Eggs
$2.51MX$43.34
$1.66NPRย 253
51.20%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.34MX$144
$7.50NPRย 1,142
11.20%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.34MX$144
$3.21NPRย 489
159.81%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.73MX$186
$6.19NPRย 942
73.34%
Apples(1kg)
$2.60MX$45.04
$2.17NPRย 331
19.82%
Banana(1kg)
$1.46MX$25.20
$1.08NPRย 165
35.19%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.90MX$32.87
$1.19NPRย 181
59.66%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$35.91
$0.69NPRย 106
201.45%
Potato(1kg)
$1.78MX$30.71
$0.49NPRย 75.0
263.27%
Onion(1kg)
$2.19MX$37.80
$0.69NPRย 105
217.39%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.04MX$17.99
$0.53NPRย 80.4
96.23%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08MX$18.62
$0.27NPRย 41.52
300.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.08MX$70.6
$2.98NPRย 453
36.91%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.32MX$178
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71MX$29.61
$2.28NPRย 347
-25.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58MX$44.54
$3.31NPRย 504
-22.05%
๐ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Dadeldhurฤ
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.51MX$8.81
$0.21NPRย 31.55
142.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.46MX$458
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.26MX$56.4
$2.23NPRย 339
46.19%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.49MX$43.09
$0.76NPRย 115
227.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.25MX$56.2
$3.59NPRย 547
-9.47%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31MX$22.61
$1.26NPRย 193
3.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.3KMX$523.7K
$31.7KNPRย 4.8M
-4.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4KMX$405.3K
$41.1KNPRย 6.3M
-43.04%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Dadeldhurฤ
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.9MX$1,433
$26.99NPRย 4,108
207.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.22MX$384
$4.75NPRย 723
367.79%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.34MX$507
$9.44NPRย 1,437
210.81%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Dadeldhurฤ
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.6MX$893
$18.46NPRย 2,810
179.69%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.32MX$317
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.07MX$87.6
$2.71NPRย 413
87.08%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Dadeldhurฤ
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$201MX$3,473
$73.4NPRย 11.2K
173.51%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,212MX$90.1K
$2,691NPRย 409.6K
93.66%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Dadeldhurฤ
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.92MX$639
$25.05NPRย 3,813
47.39%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.79MX$688
$27.23NPRย 4,144
46.13%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$78.5MX$1,357
$46.05NPRย 7,010
70.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.1MX$1,506
$29.32NPRย 4,462
197.03%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Dadeldhurฤ
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$973MX$16.8K
$107NPRย 16.3K
809.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$468MX$8,090
$64.4NPRย 9,798
626.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,641MX$28.4K
$205NPRย 31.2K
699.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,221MX$21.1K
$148NPRย 22.5K
726.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,946MX$68.3K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,498MX$112.4K
-
-
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Dadeldhurฤ
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$664MX$11.5K
$98.6NPRย 15.0K
573.42%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
12.08
-5.46%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026
Last update for Dadeldhurฤ: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $107 in Dadeldhurฤ. 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 573% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Dadeldhurฤ. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $133 โ making Dadeldhurฤ 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 Dadeldhurฤ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Dadeldhurฤ?
Playa del Carmen costs about 228% more than Dadeldhurฤ, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen vs Dadeldhurฤ?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $593 in Dadeldhurฤ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Playa del Carmen or Dadeldhurฤ?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Dadeldhurฤ, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Playa del Carmen vs Dadeldhurฤ?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $19.00 in Dadeldhurฤ. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and cafรฉ pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Playa del Carmen or Dadeldhurฤ?
Groceries cost about 88% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Playa del Carmen or Dadeldhurฤ?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dadeldhurฤ, where all-in costs run around $395, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Dadeldhurฤ it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Dadeldhurฤ?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dadeldhurฤ costs $395 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Playa del Carmen compared to Dadeldhurฤ?
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.
Should I move to Playa del Carmen or Dadeldhurฤ?
If budget matters most, go with Dadeldhurฤ. 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.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared