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: $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $546 in Dasmarinas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,130 in Playa del Carmen versus $990 in Dasmarinas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,999 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,434 in Dasmarinas.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 131% more expensive than Dasmarinas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Dasmarinas 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$203

$3.51 ₱212

232.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$728

$13.37 ₱809

213.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$181

$2.70 ₱163

285.19%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.9

$1.62 ₱98.3

122.84%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$0.53 ₱32.21

177.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.86

$0.30 ₱18.40

203.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.8

$1.03 ₱62.6

194.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.7

$1.35 ₱81.8

231.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.91

$1.63 ₱98.9

-15.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.04

$1.10 ₱66.8

67.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.91

$0.84 ₱51.1

91.67%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.67

$1.99 ₱120

29.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$148

$5.52 ₱334

53.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$148

$3.84 ₱232

121.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$191

$7.80 ₱472

40.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.42

$2.69 ₱163

1.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.01

$1.40 ₱84.6

7.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.05

$1.74 ₱105

12.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.83

$0.69 ₱41.95

207.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.41

$1.04 ₱62.9

78.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.80

$2.30 ₱139

-5.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.65

$0.73 ₱44.29

46.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.24

$0.43 ₱25.77

144.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.9

$2.08 ₱126

101.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$179

$9.19 ₱556

11.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.97

$1.07 ₱64.7

56.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.27

$2.37 ₱143

5.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.41

$0.26 ₱15.69

107.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$457

$4.50 ₱273

483.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$54.0

$0.87 ₱52.9

256.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.81

$0.24 ₱14.60

925.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.3

$2.36 ₱143

37.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.91

$1.11 ₱67.4

13.51%

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

$30.2K MX$524.6K

$32.1K ₱1.9M

-6.14%

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

$23.4K MX$407.7K

$20.7K ₱1.3M

13.09%

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

$84.0 MX$1,461

$44.14 ₱2,671

90.28%

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

$22.21 MX$386

$34.55 ₱2,091

-35.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$516

$26.15 ₱1,582

13.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$915

$11.79 ₱713

346.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$319

$4.52 ₱274

305.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$86.0

$5.78 ₱350

-14.36%

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

$198 MX$3,449

$149 ₱9,017

33.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.5K

$4,807 ₱290.9K

10.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$625

$48.47 ₱2,933

-25.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$697

$27.44 ₱1,660

45.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,370

$75.8 ₱4,585

3.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,504

$46.97 ₱2,842

84.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$17.0K

$265 ₱16.0K

268.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,186

$82.8 ₱5,008

468.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.7K

$592 ₱35.8K

169.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$389 ₱23.5K

212.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$70.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.4K

$407 ₱24.6K

1516.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$379 ₱22.9K

88.51%

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Dasmarinas: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $977 in Playa del Carmen and $265 in Dasmarinas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 89% 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 in Playa del Carmen vs $13 in Dasmarinas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $174 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 131% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $546 including rent). Dasmarinas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Playa del Carmen pays 89% more on average, 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: $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $265 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 484% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $149 in Dasmarinas. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $546 in Dasmarinas versus $1,261 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 131% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.