šA single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $358 in Damanhur, rent included.
šA couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $563 in Damanhur, rent included.
šA family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $767 in Damanhur, rent included.
šPlaya del Carmen costs about 259% more than Damanhur, driven mainly by Eating Out.
šBoth Playa del Carmen and Damanhur are more affordable than the global median ā Playa del Carmen4% lower, Damanhur73% lower.
Currency
š½ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Damanhur
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$1.99EĀ£106
500.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$9.93EĀ£526
330.51%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
$3.66EĀ£194
189.34%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$0.92EĀ£48.92
293.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$0.29EĀ£15.29
406.90%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$0.12EĀ£6.17
683.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$1.37EĀ£72.4
125.55%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
$2.82EĀ£150
58.16%
š Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Damanhur
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$0.89EĀ£47.40
60.67%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$0.59EĀ£31.20
218.64%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$0.51EĀ£27.08
219.61%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
$0.68EĀ£36.01
288.24%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$1.99EĀ£106
312.56%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$3.63EĀ£192
128.37%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$7.68EĀ£407
44.53%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
$1.01EĀ£53.4
162.38%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
$0.60EĀ£31.90
150.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
$0.48EĀ£25.25
314.58%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
$0.41EĀ£21.84
407.32%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
$0.38EĀ£20.34
371.05%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
$0.29EĀ£15.18
651.72%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
$0.24EĀ£12.72
350.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$0.23EĀ£12.17
352.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
$2.03EĀ£108
95.57%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
$7.50EĀ£398
36.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
$1.23EĀ£65.4
40.65%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
$1.69EĀ£89.7
47.93%
š Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Damanhur
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
$0.17EĀ£8.84
205.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
$0.39EĀ£20.62
705.13%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
$0.29EĀ£15.35
727.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
$0.97EĀ£51.3
218.56%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
$0.33EĀ£17.71
284.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
$35.9KEĀ£1.9M
-13.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
$30.7KEĀ£1.6M
-23.93%
š§¾ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Damanhur
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
$12.04EĀ£638
581.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
$8.12EĀ£431
176.48%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$12.24EĀ£649
142.32%
š Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Damanhur
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
$6.36EĀ£337
715.57%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
$3.65EĀ£194
36.16%
š§ø Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Damanhur
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
$90.7EĀ£4,809
118.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
$2,025EĀ£107.4K
160.36%
šš Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Damanhur
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$31.04EĀ£1,646
17.07%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$44.92EĀ£2,381
-10.84%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
$107EĀ£5,697
-25.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
$57.9EĀ£3,068
53.56%
š Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Damanhur
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
$59.8EĀ£3,171
1510.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
$34.89EĀ£1,850
1232.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
$103EĀ£5,471
1446.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
$59.2EĀ£3,140
1940.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$69.0K
$472EĀ£25.0K
735.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.8K
$189EĀ£10.0K
3313.31%
šµ Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Damanhur
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
$113EĀ£5,995
536.96%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
16.67
-31.49%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input ā minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Last update for Damanhur: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
š A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $59.8 in Damanhur. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
š°Salaries run about 537% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
šA mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $10.00 in Damanhur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $109 ā 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 ā Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 259%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $537 in Damanhur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled ā 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $358 in Damanhur. The difference isn't just one category ā it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $90.7 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 $358, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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 ā 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