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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $201 in Dar'a.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $400 in Dar'a.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $599 in Dar'a.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 545% more expensive than Dar'a, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Dar'a 85% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$2.98 SYP 330

293.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$15.08 SYP 1,666

175.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$0.97 SYP 107

262.89%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.73 SYP 80.4

106.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.52 SYP 57.6

86.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$0.48 SYP 53.5

187.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.29 SYP 31.81

551.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.23 SYP 136

33.33%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.22 SYP 135

105.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.09 SYP 451

103.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.12 SYP 345

167.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$6.56 SYP 725

63.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$0.31 SYP 34.37

738.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.17 SYP 130

24.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$0.61 SYP 68.0

211.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.31 SYP 34.71

570.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.38 SYP 42.12

368.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.24 SYP 26.43

812.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.26 SYP 28.60

300.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.52 SYP 57.7

107.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.25 SYP 249

81.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.27 SYP 30.14

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.48 SYP 164

68.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$4.06 SYP 449

-19.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.73 SYP 191

-24.28%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

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

$22.22 MX$384

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$3.40 SYP 375

1418.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$6.04 SYP 667

203.31%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$3.08 SYP 341

64.61%

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

$201 MX$3,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$9.85 SYP 1,088

274.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$25.28 SYP 2,794

57.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$17.21 SYP 1,902

406.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$49.20 SYP 5,437

1876.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$34.83 SYP 3,849

1242.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$204 SYP 22.5K

705.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$123 SYP 13.6K

892.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Dar'a: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $49.20 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 545% 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 $1,945 in Playa del Carmen and $302 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $49.20 in Dar'a. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $201 in Dar'a – a 545% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 188% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $201 in Dar'a versus $1,297 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 $201 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 545% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.