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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $469 in Dahab, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $743 in Dahab, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,017 in Dahab, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 168% more than Dahab, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Dahab are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Dahab 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$3.58 E£183

234.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$16.09 E£821

159.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$4.51 E£230

138.36%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.45 E£73.9

141.38%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.29 E£14.79

400.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.10 E£5.10

780.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.16 E£59.0

154.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.92 E£149

54.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.89 E£45.50

60.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.59 E£29.96

211.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$0.69 E£35.34

127.54%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.40 E£71.4

79.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$3.42 E£175

142.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.15 E£212

103.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$8.77 E£448

21.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.42 E£72.4

83.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$0.54 E£27.58

166.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$0.43 E£21.96

355.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.37 E£18.87

464.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.37 E£19.02

400.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.40 E£20.51

442.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.22 E£11.21

368.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.20 E£10.40

435.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$1.92 E£97.8

113.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$6.81 E£348

49.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.34 E£68.6

25.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.79 E£91.2

41.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.18 E£9.09

183.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.39 E£19.83

728.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.29 E£14.64

731.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$1.94 E£99.0

66.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.33 E£16.92

300.00%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$35.6K E£1.8M

-16.55%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$32.8K E£1.7M

-27.90%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$11.81 E£603

594.41%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$6.46 E£330

255.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$10.80 E£551

178.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$21.95 E£1,120

136.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$3.02 E£154

64.90%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$87.3 E£4,458

126.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$1,830 E£93.4K

191.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$27.77 E£1,418

28.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$48.08 E£2,455

-16.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$110 E£5,598

-28.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$50.3 E£2,568

76.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$189 E£9,647

401.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$98.5 E£5,028

381.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$306 E£15.6K

436.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$180 E£9,185

572.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$141 E£7,197

363.82%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Dahab: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $189 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 364% 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 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $704 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $469 in Dahab. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $87.3 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 $469, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.