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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $455 in Dahab, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $741 in Dahab, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,027 in Dahab, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 185% more than Dahab, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Dahab are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Dahab 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.52 E£183

233.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$15.71 E£814

164.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.73 E£245

124.95%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.51 E£78.1

133.11%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.29 E£14.94

420.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.12 E£6.28

708.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.21 E£62.6

143.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.89 E£150

53.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$0.89 E£46.16

55.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.58 E£30.06

225.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$0.71 E£36.64

130.99%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.43 E£74.3

75.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.29 E£171

153.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.32 E£224

93.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$8.54 E£442

25.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.42 E£73.3

83.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$0.54 E£27.86

170.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$0.42 E£21.87

352.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.39 E£20.37

433.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.41 E£21.12

334.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.44 E£22.73

397.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.24 E£12.47

333.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.21 E£10.63

414.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$1.93 E£100

111.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$6.67 E£345

54.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.36 E£70.6

25.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.79 E£92.5

44.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.18 E£9.55

183.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.42 E£21.72

676.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.31 E£16.13

703.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$1.97 E£102

64.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.31 E£15.85

322.58%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$34.9K E£1.8M

-13.20%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$33.5K E£1.7M

-30.09%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$11.95 E£619

593.47%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$6.54 E£339

239.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$10.64 E£551

175.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$22.64 E£1,173

128.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$2.91 E£151

74.23%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$88.1 E£4,563

127.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$1,883 E£97.5K

176.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$27.67 E£1,433

33.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$47.99 E£2,486

-17.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$111 E£5,736

-29.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$50.0 E£2,591

74.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$190 E£9,847

411.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$98.4 E£5,096

375.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$305 E£15.8K

437.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$178 E£9,196

587.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$137 E£7,103

384.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

16.67

-31.49%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Dahab: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $190 in Dahab. 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 384% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $16.00 in Dahab. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $124 – making Dahab 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 Dahab: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 185%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $683 in Dahab. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dahab, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $455 in Dahab. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $88.1 in Dahab. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dahab, where all-in costs run around $455, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Dahab it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dahab – 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 Dahab. 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.