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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $888 in David, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $955 in David, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,022 in David, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 43% more than David, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and David are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, David 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$5.60 PAB 5.60

107.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$37.14 PAB 37.14

26.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.47 PAB 7.47

59.04%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$3.29 PAB 3.29

20.97%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.46 PAB 1.46

-2.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$1.46 PAB 1.46

-43.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$2.01 PAB 2.01

58.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.73 PAB 2.73

148.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.79 PAB 1.79

-6.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.19 PAB 2.19

0.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$2.36 PAB 2.36

-27.54%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.38 PAB 2.38

15.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.99 PAB 1.99

-38.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$10.15 PAB 10.15

2.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.77 PAB 0.77

-22.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$3.01 PAB 3.01

79.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.95 PAB 1.95

91.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.00 PAB 1.00

54.00%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$25.4K PAB 25.4K

-11.26%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$30.0K PAB 30.0K

-13.01%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$184 PAB 184

-50.28%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$28.51 PAB 28.51

-11.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$48.57 PAB 48.57

-35.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$31.45 PAB 31.45

113.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

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

$224 MX$3,856

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$5,899 PAB 5,899

-28.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$353 PAB 353

200.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$343 PAB 343

13.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$593 PAB 593

27.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

63.57%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for David: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $353 in David. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 28% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $37.00 in David. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $87.0 – making David the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 David: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 43%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,332 in David. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in David, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 217% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $37.00 in David. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in David, where all-in costs run around $888, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In David it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward David – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with David. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.