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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $896 in Daule.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,323 in Daule.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,749 in Daule.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 41% more expensive than in Daule, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Daule 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$4.45 $4.45

163.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$15.86 $15.86

164.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$7.44 $7.44

41.26%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.91 $2.91

23.37%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.10 $1.10

37.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.66 $0.66

39.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.96 $1.96

51.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$4.03 $4.03

9.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.02 $1.02

37.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.99 $0.99

89.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.07 $1.07

45.79%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.86 $1.86

40.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$7.75 $7.75

7.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$7.79 $7.79

7.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$8.14 $8.14

33.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.10 $2.10

29.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.21 $1.21

24.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.08 $1.08

73.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.08 $1.08

102.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.76 $0.76

144.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.10 $1.10

102.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.52 $0.52

105.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.05 $1.05

3.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$6.03 $6.03

-30.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$9.94 $9.94

4.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.24 $1.24

33.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.01 $2.01

29.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.34 $0.34

58.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$23.72 $23.72

10.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$1.47 $1.47

109.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.46 $1.46

64.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$8.17 $8.17

-61.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.65 $0.65

101.54%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$19.9K $19.9K

50.06%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$25.6K $25.6K

-8.74%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$34.97 $34.97

132.43%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$14.45 $14.45

56.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$28.80 $28.80

4.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$29.76 $29.76

77.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$14.72 $14.72

24.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$6.89 $6.89

-28.59%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$251 $251

-19.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$8,599 $8,599

-39.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$57.3 $57.3

-37.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$42.45 $42.45

-5.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$79.1 $79.1

0.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$78.9 $78.9

9.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$344 $344

184.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$314 $314

49.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$615 $615

168.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$489 $489

145.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$1,036 $1,036

281.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$808 $808

717.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.49

20.34%

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 Daule: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $344 in Daule. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $16.00 in Daule for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $195 per month, with Daule 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 Daule: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Daule is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,890 in Playa del Carmen and $1,344 in Daule 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: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $344 in Daule. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Daule – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $896 in Daule – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $896 in Daule versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Daule but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Daule the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Daule is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Daule gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.