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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $540 in Dasmarinas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $967 in Dasmarinas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,395 in Dasmarinas.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 133% more expensive than in Dasmarinas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Dasmarinas 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.47 ₱213

237.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$13.24 ₱810

216.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$2.61 ₱160

302.68%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.57 ₱96.3

128.66%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.58 ₱35.63

160.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.33 ₱20.34

178.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.05 ₱64.2

181.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$1.32 ₱80.8

234.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.59 ₱97.3

-11.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.11 ₱68.2

69.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.85 ₱51.9

83.53%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.02 ₱124

29.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$5.65 ₱346

47.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$3.86 ₱236

116.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$8.11 ₱497

33.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.62 ₱160

3.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.45 ₱88.7

4.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.72 ₱105

8.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.68 ₱41.92

222.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.09 ₱66.5

70.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.24 ₱137

-0.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.67 ₱40.92

59.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.46 ₱27.97

136.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.09 ₱128

100.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$9.08 ₱556

14.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.08 ₱65.8

53.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.27 ₱139

14.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.26 ₱15.75

107.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$4.46 ₱273

486.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.90 ₱55.1

242.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.22 ₱13.43

990.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$2.37 ₱145

32.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.11 ₱68.2

18.02%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$31.4K ₱1.9M

-5.10%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$20.1K ₱1.2M

16.11%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$43.55 ₱2,666

86.64%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$34.36 ₱2,103

-34.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$25.77 ₱1,578

16.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$11.83 ₱724

347.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$4.54 ₱278

305.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$5.63 ₱345

-12.61%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$153 ₱9,379

31.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$4,640 ₱284.0K

11.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$48.00 ₱2,938

-25.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$27.89 ₱1,707

43.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$76.0 ₱4,652

4.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$46.13 ₱2,823

87.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$269 ₱16.5K

262.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$85.2 ₱5,217

452.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$595 ₱36.4K

177.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$388 ₱23.8K

209.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$387 ₱23.7K

1606.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$370 ₱22.6K

83.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.4

78.44%

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 Dasmarinas: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $269 in Dasmarinas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 83% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $13.00 in Dasmarinas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $175 per month, with Dasmarinas 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 Dasmarinas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Dasmarinas differ by about 133% in total monthly costs ($1,260 vs $540 including rent). Dasmarinas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 83% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $269 in Dasmarinas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dasmarinas runs roughly 487% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $153 in Dasmarinas. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $540 in Dasmarinas versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dasmarinas but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Dasmarinas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Dasmarinas are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Dasmarinas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 133% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.