😐A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $359 in Damanhur, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $565 in Damanhur, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $771 in Damanhur, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 254% more than Damanhur, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Damanhur are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen5% lower, Damanhur73% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Damanhur
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.87MX$204
$1.97E£101
502.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.90MX$736
$9.60E£490
346.88%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.65MX$183
$3.80E£194
180.26%
Cappuccino
$3.45MX$59.2
$0.93E£47.33
270.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50MX$25.81
$0.29E£14.74
417.24%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95MX$16.28
$0.12E£6.06
691.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.03MX$51.9
$1.39E£71.1
117.99%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61MX$79.1
$2.79E£143
65.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Damanhur
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38MX$23.61
$0.93E£47.47
48.39%
White Bread(500g)
$1.85MX$31.70
$0.63E£32.12
193.65%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.61MX$27.65
$0.50E£25.61
222.00%
Eggs
$2.59MX$44.51
$0.73E£37.12
254.79%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.26MX$142
$1.96E£100
321.43%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.37MX$144
$3.71E£190
125.61%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.66MX$183
$7.86E£401
35.62%
Apples(1kg)
$2.63MX$45.12
$1.04E£53.0
152.88%
Banana(1kg)
$1.49MX$25.53
$0.56E£28.64
166.07%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.92MX$32.94
$0.47E£24.15
308.51%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.09MX$35.81
$0.41E£21.19
409.76%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$31.88
$0.41E£21.19
353.66%
Onion(1kg)
$2.26MX$38.81
$0.29E£14.72
679.31%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.06MX$18.23
$0.22E£11.22
381.82%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09MX$18.67
$0.17E£8.89
541.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15MX$71.2
$1.94E£99.0
113.92%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.39MX$178
$7.60E£388
36.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72MX$29.59
$1.28E£65.1
34.37%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61MX$44.85
$1.73E£88.2
50.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Damanhur
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.30
$0.15E£7.91
260.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.94MX$462
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.13MX$53.7
$0.39E£19.67
702.56%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.51MX$43.09
$0.31E£15.98
709.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.15MX$54.1
$0.96E£49.17
228.13%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$21.88
$0.33E£16.89
284.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4KMX$521.3K
$35.6KE£1.8M
-14.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6KMX$404.5K
$30.7KE£1.6M
-23.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Damanhur
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.0MX$1,425
$11.91E£608
596.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.71MX$390
$8.20E£419
176.95%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.46MX$506
$12.22E£624
141.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Damanhur
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.0MX$875
$6.56E£335
677.44%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.33MX$315
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.93MX$84.5
$3.46E£177
42.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Damanhur
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$197MX$3,386
$90.6E£4,626
117.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,280MX$90.6K
$2,024E£103.4K
160.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Damanhur
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.90MX$633
$31.16E£1,591
18.42%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.89MX$685
$44.03E£2,249
-9.40%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.0MX$1,373
$108E£5,527
-26.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5MX$1,536
$59.4E£3,035
50.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Damanhur
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$956MX$16.4K
$58.1E£2,969
1545.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$477MX$8,189
$34.66E£1,770
1276.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,646MX$28.3K
$105E£5,372
1464.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,225MX$21.0K
$59.1E£3,016
1973.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,918MX$67.2K
$488E£24.9K
703.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,459MX$110.9K
$191E£9,776
3274.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Damanhur
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$667MX$11.4K
$109E£5,589
509.40%
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 7, 2026
Last update for Damanhur: June 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $58.1 in Damanhur. 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 509% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $10.00 in Damanhur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $111 – making Damanhur 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 Damanhur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Damanhur cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 254%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $539 in Damanhur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Damanhur, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs Damanhur?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $359 in Damanhur. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $90.6 in Damanhur. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Damanhur?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Damanhur, where all-in costs run around $359, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Damanhur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Damanhur more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Damanhur – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Damanhur. 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