😐A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $361 in Damanhur, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $564 in Damanhur, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $768 in Damanhur, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 249% 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
$11.72MX$203
$1.94E£97.8
504.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.89MX$725
$10.16E£511
312.30%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.51MX$182
$3.70E£186
184.05%
Cappuccino
$3.59MX$62.0
$0.92E£46.49
290.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51MX$26.10
$0.29E£14.44
420.69%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.92MX$15.83
$0.10E£5.05
820.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.96MX$51.2
$1.36E£68.5
117.65%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.41MX$76.3
$2.67E£135
65.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Damanhur
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.40MX$24.16
$0.95E£47.92
47.37%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.60
$0.63E£31.85
198.41%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.56MX$26.97
$0.47E£23.65
231.91%
Eggs
$2.61MX$45.14
$0.68E£34.36
283.82%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.32MX$144
$1.94E£97.4
328.87%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.35MX$145
$3.63E£182
130.03%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.86MX$188
$7.82E£393
38.87%
Apples(1kg)
$2.71MX$46.93
$1.02E£51.2
165.69%
Banana(1kg)
$1.51MX$26.04
$0.60E£30.11
151.67%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.87MX$32.41
$0.51E£25.50
266.67%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.19MX$37.89
$0.41E£20.67
434.15%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$32.14
$0.42E£21.11
342.86%
Onion(1kg)
$2.23MX$38.59
$0.29E£14.37
668.97%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.07MX$18.48
$0.24E£12.09
345.83%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09MX$18.79
$0.22E£10.95
395.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19MX$72.4
$2.01E£101
108.46%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.43MX$180
$7.90E£398
32.03%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66MX$28.68
$1.28E£64.3
29.69%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61MX$45.19
$1.70E£85.4
53.53%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Damanhur
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.37
$0.18E£8.87
200.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.16MX$453
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.08MX$53.3
$0.38E£19.25
710.53%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$41.61
$0.29E£14.54
727.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.13MX$54.1
$0.95E£47.63
229.47%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31MX$22.69
$0.33E£16.60
296.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8KMX$515.7K
$35.6KE£1.8M
-16.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$403.5K
$31.1KE£1.6M
-24.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Damanhur
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$81.3MX$1,406
$11.70E£588
594.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.56MX$390
$7.96E£401
183.42%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.05MX$520
$12.60E£634
138.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Damanhur
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.9MX$915
$6.47E£326
717.77%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.39MX$318
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.92MX$85.1
$3.49E£176
40.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Damanhur
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$201MX$3,474
$93.7E£4,713
114.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,175MX$89.5K
$1,971E£99.1K
162.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Damanhur
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.92MX$622
$31.08E£1,564
15.57%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.13MX$694
$45.00E£2,263
-10.82%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.7MX$1,379
$105E£5,259
-23.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5MX$1,496
$59.6E£2,997
45.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Damanhur
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$978MX$16.9K
$59.3E£2,984
1548.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$470MX$8,140
$33.93E£1,707
1286.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,651MX$28.6K
$102E£5,137
1516.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,203MX$20.8K
$59.2E£2,976
1933.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,953MX$68.4K
$492E£24.8K
703.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,607MX$114.3K
$201E£10.1K
3193.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Damanhur
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$677MX$11.7K
$110E£5,531
515.40%
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: July 27, 2026
Last update for Damanhur: July 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $59.3 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 515% 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 $10.00 in Damanhur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $112 – 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 249%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $541 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 and in Damanhur?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $361 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 $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $93.7 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 living in Playa del Carmen or in Damanhur?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Damanhur, where all-in costs run around $361, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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