Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Dar'a Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Dar'a

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $203 in Dar'a.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $396 in Dar'a.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $590 in Dar'a.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 520% more expensive than in Dar'a, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Dar'a 85% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$2.96 SYP 360

305.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$15.22 SYP 1,850

174.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$0.97 SYP 118

260.82%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.74 SYP 89.6

95.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.52 SYP 62.9

69.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$0.52 SYP 63.3

175.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.29 SYP 34.77

534.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.17 SYP 142

34.19%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.23 SYP 149

104.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$3.90 SYP 473

112.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$3.24 SYP 393

160.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$6.64 SYP 807

60.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$0.29 SYP 34.74

800.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.22 SYP 148

18.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$0.62 SYP 75.1

216.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$0.31 SYP 37.73

574.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.38 SYP 46.71

386.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.24 SYP 28.94

804.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.28 SYP 34.30

267.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.51 SYP 62.3

109.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$2.22 SYP 270

84.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.25 SYP 30.35

104.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.52 SYP 185

58.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$3.96 SYP 481

-18.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.66 SYP 201

-20.48%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

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

$22.95 MX$403

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$3.53 SYP 429

1372.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$6.07 SYP 737

205.27%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$2.91 SYP 354

71.13%

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

$197 MX$3,463

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$10.13 SYP 1,231

251.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$25.25 SYP 3,069

59.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$16.96 SYP 2,061

424.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$49.38 SYP 6,001

1817.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$34.67 SYP 4,213

1267.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$198 SYP 24.0K

730.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$125 SYP 15.2K

869.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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 Dar'a: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $49.38 in Dar'a. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $15.00 in Dar'a for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $87.0 per month, with Dar'a cheaper across the board.

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 Dar'a: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dar'a wins on cost – living expenses run 520% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Dar'a the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,884 in Playa del Carmen and $304 in Dar'a to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $49.38 in Dar'a. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $203 in Dar'a – a 520% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 185% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $203 in Dar'a versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Dar'a but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Dar'a the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Dar'a delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $203 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Dar'a hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Dar'a gentler on the wallet – expenses run 520% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.