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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,443 in Dandenong, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,438 in Dandenong, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,433 in Dandenong, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 46% cheaper than Dandenong, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Dandenong is 78% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$17.65 A$24.78

-26.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$52.7 A$74.0

-12.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$11.95 A$16.79

5.36%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$3.94 A$5.53

1.52%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$2.25 A$3.16

-36.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$2.25 A$3.17

-64.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$5.55 A$7.79

-45.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$3.53 A$4.95

93.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$1.79 A$2.52

-4.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$2.55 A$3.58

-12.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$2.43 A$3.41

-29.22%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$5.79 A$8.12

-53.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$8.47 A$11.89

10.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$7.58 A$10.64

16.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$11.98 A$16.82

6.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$3.50 A$4.91

-10.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$2.79 A$3.92

-44.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$2.07 A$2.91

3.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$2.08 A$2.93

12.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$2.11 A$2.96

-4.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$2.69 A$3.78

-26.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$0.68 A$0.96

82.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$1.61 A$2.26

-26.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$46.31 A$65.0

-89.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$10.52 A$14.78

-0.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$5.34 A$7.50

-70.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$3.47 A$4.88

-15.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$5.18 A$7.27

-89.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

$77.5 A$109

-61.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$4.29 A$6.03

24.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$1.46 A$2.05

154.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$30.57 A$42.92

-81.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$1.35 A$1.89

14.81%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$29.2K A$41.0K

-23.42%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$24.9K A$34.9K

2.89%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$224 A$315

-60.20%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$16.19 A$22.74

43.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$42.27 A$59.4

-24.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$64.4 A$90.5

6.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

$16.34 A$22.94

79.93%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$17.67 A$24.81

-71.36%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$2,413 A$3,388

-90.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$32.0K A$44.9K

-86.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$31.57 A$44.33

46.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$17.77 A$24.96

150.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$107 A$150

-10.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$113 A$159

-18.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$1,480 A$2,079

-27.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$1,266 A$1,778

-68.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

$2,063 A$2,896

-3.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$1,842 A$2,587

-29.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

$5,632 A$7,909

-28.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

$5,788 A$8,128

14.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$4,182 A$5,872

-82.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

5.65

105.31%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Dandenong: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,480 in Dandenong. 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 460% higher in Dandenong, 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 $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $53.0 in Dandenong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $317 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Dandenong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Dandenong is pricier by about 84%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,664 in Dandenong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 14% more in Dandenong, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Playa del Carmen and $53.0 in Dandenong. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,330, than in Dandenong at $2,443. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dandenong it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dandenong makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.