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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,124 in Dealu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,848 in Dealu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,572 in Dealu.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 15% more expensive than in Dealu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Dealu 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$15.14 RON 68.4

-22.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$789

$88.4 RON 399

-47.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$8.94 RON 40.35

30.31%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.3

$2.14 RON 9.68

91.12%

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

$1.37 MX$23.28

$2.07 RON 9.36

-33.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.12

$1.98 RON 8.94

-58.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.8

$2.61 RON 11.79

28.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$3.42 RON 15.43

102.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.26

$1.80 RON 8.12

-3.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.29

$1.43 RON 6.44

58.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.98

$1.76 RON 7.95

0.57%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.29

$4.91 RON 22.17

-44.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$156

$8.96 RON 40.44

2.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$5.62 RON 25.36

58.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$214

$10.70 RON 48.33

17.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.2

$1.17 RON 5.27

158.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.61

$1.54 RON 6.95

1.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.01

$1.66 RON 7.50

28.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.36

$2.70 RON 12.18

-16.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.95

$0.78 RON 3.50

156.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.98

$0.67 RON 3.01

207.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.99

$0.77 RON 3.45

53.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.40

$0.85 RON 3.84

41.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.5

$5.81 RON 26.25

-20.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$6.63 RON 29.93

61.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.44

$1.57 RON 7.11

3.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.81

$2.03 RON 9.14

41.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.71

$0.80 RON 3.61

-28.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$505

$22.32 RON 101

33.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.3

$0.65 RON 2.91

738.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.8

$0.71 RON 3.19

421.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$7.30 RON 32.95

-18.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.32

$1.89 RON 8.52

-17.99%

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

$22.3K MX$378.3K

$29.1K RON 131.5K

-23.36%

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

$25.9K MX$439.6K

$29.5K RON 133.2K

-12.01%

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

$89.1 MX$1,510

$110 RON 498

-19.24%

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

$25.04 MX$424

$11.17 RON 50.4

124.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$534

$5.11 RON 23.07

516.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,148

$39.72 RON 179

70.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$490

$21.12 RON 95.4

36.93%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.6

$10.93 RON 49.36

-53.80%

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

$225 MX$3,811

$630 RON 2,843

-64.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.5K

$7,292 RON 32.9K

-42.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$804

$62.9 RON 284

-24.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$762

$37.57 RON 170

19.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,389

$131 RON 591

-37.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,560

$109 RON 493

-15.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$401 RON 1,808

166.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,867

$302 RON 1,363

34.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.8K

$624 RON 2,817

210.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$469 RON 2,118

177.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.7K

$1,908 RON 8,616

109.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.3K

$1,364 RON 6,157

385.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.97

64.28%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Dealu: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $401 in Dealu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $88.0 in Dealu. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $223, with Dealu cheaper for home cooking.

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 Dealu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dealu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,940 in Playa del Carmen and $1,685 in Dealu 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: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $401 in Dealu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Dealu – a meal for two runs $88.0 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,124 in Dealu – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,124 in Dealu versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dealu but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Dealu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dealu 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.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Dealu 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 Dealu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.