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: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $888 in Daule.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,338 in Daule.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,789 in Daule.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 43% more expensive than Daule, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Daule 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$4.47 $4.47

165.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$15.70 $15.70

173.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$7.37 $7.37

44.50%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.80 $2.80

23.21%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.11 $1.11

35.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.71 $0.71

33.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.95 $1.95

55.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$3.90 $3.90

18.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.99 $0.99

39.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.98 $0.98

88.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.08 $1.08

49.07%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.93 $1.93

34.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$7.93 $7.93

4.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$7.57 $7.57

10.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$7.81 $7.81

36.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.01 $2.01

30.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.17 $1.17

27.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.07 $1.07

79.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.13 $1.13

84.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.75 $0.75

148.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.05 $1.05

115.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.48 $0.48

120.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.05 $1.05

3.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$5.88 $5.88

-29.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$8.11 $8.11

28.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.27 $1.27

35.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.98 $1.98

31.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.37 $0.37

45.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$23.76 $23.76

13.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.46 $1.46

114.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.48 $1.48

69.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$7.95 $7.95

-60.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.64 $0.64

98.44%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$20.3K $20.3K

49.50%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$25.0K $25.0K

-5.81%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$33.77 $33.77

145.78%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$14.31 $14.31

58.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$29.14 $29.14

1.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$30.59 $30.59

66.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$14.84 $14.84

23.52%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$6.98 $6.98

-29.37%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$253 $253

-22.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$8,523 $8,523

-38.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$58.2 $58.2

-36.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$42.81 $42.81

-6.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$79.6 $79.6

0.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$80.4 $80.4

11.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$339 $339

182.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$322 $322

48.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$616 $616

167.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$490 $490

149.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,161 $1,161

237.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$719 $719

798.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Daule: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $339 in Daule. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $16.00 in Daule for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $189 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 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,906 in Playa del Carmen and $1,331 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: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $339 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $888 in Daule – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $888 in Daule versus $1,271 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 43% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.