Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and DeLand, FL

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,699 in DeLand, FL, rent and utilities included – about $17,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
DeLand, FL, United States
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
DeLand, FL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,699
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in DeLand, FL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in DeLand, FL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,699 in DeLand, FL.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • DeLand, FL $2,699

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,903 in DeLand, FL.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • DeLand, FL $3,903

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,959 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,107 in DeLand, FL.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • DeLand, FL $5,107

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 55% less than in DeLand, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 12% below, DeLand, FL is 98% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
DeLand, FL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$205
$20.23 $20.23
-46.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$814
$79.0 $79.0
-45.09%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$221
$11.19 $11.19
5.27%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.5
$5.43 $5.43
-29.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$24.07
$2.60 $2.60
-50.77%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.70
$2.05 $2.05
-61.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.5
$6.62 $6.62
-52.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.7
$7.21 $7.21
-31.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
DeLand, FL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.40
$1.37 $1.37
2.92%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.62
$3.63 $3.63
-38.84%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.61
$2.65 $2.65
-46.42%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.36
$2.96 $2.96
-14.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$136
$12.43 $12.43
-41.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$144
$11.76 $11.76
-34.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$238
$20.76 $20.76
-38.87%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$52.3
$5.14 $5.14
-45.91%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.68
$0.95 $0.95
44.21%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.89
$4.29 $4.29
-40.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.86
$4.58 $4.58
-53.71%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.39
$2.79 $2.79
-30.47%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.41
$4.00 $4.00
-52.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.53
$2.27 $2.27
-49.34%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$22.13
$1.86 $1.86
-36.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.6
$10.30 $10.30
-58.25%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$187
$17.66 $17.66
-43.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.73
$1.91 $1.91
-17.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$50.1
$3.29 $3.29
-18.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
DeLand, FL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.39
$2.23 $2.23
-75.34%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$500
$61.2 $61.2
-56.50%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$93.3
$3.17 $3.17
56.78%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.5
$1.95 $1.95
70.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$101
$29.18 $29.18
-81.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$27.11
$1.02 $1.02
41.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$388.0K
$27.6K $27.6K
-25.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$440.5K
$27.4K $27.4K
-14.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
DeLand, FL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,592
$277 $277
-69.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$439
$59.2 $59.2
-60.46%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$538
$70.4 $70.4
-59.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
DeLand, FL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,071
$30.48 $30.48
87.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$543
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$96.5
$15.11 $15.11
-65.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
DeLand, FL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,878
$1,386 $1,386
-85.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.7K
$23.8K $23.8K
-83.47%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
DeLand, FL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$814
$53.2 $53.2
-18.44%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$778
$40.82 $40.82
1.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,393
$78.8 $78.8
-5.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,676
$116 $116
-22.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
DeLand, FL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.4K
$1,485 $1,485
-34.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,150
$1,291 $1,291
-70.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$32.1K
$2,921 $2,921
-41.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.2K
$2,081 $2,081
-48.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$74.0K
$3,164 $3,164
24.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$115.6K
$2,277 $2,277
170.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
DeLand, FL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
7.35
55.78%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for DeLand, FL: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
DeLand, FL
$1.3K 239% $910
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
DeLand, FL
$401 57.5% $147
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
DeLand, FL
$327 61.4% $124
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
DeLand, FL
$406 197% $270
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
DeLand, FL
$130 16.2% $18
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
DeLand, FL
$61 9.8% $6.6
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
DeLand, FL
$83 64.6% $33

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $980 in Playa del Carmen and $1,485 in DeLand, FL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43 in Playa del Carmen vs $79 in DeLand, FL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $255 vs $401 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇺🇸 DeLand, FL
🕒 Local time
21:50 9:50 PM
21:50 9:50 PM
Same time as Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
37,351
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen DeLand, FL 1,100 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • DeLand, FL

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 DeLand, FL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than DeLand, FL?
Playa del Carmen is about 55% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $1,806 in Playa del Carmen and $4,049 in DeLand, FL 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.
What is the rent difference between Playa del Carmen and DeLand, FL?
Rent for a central apartment: $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,485 in DeLand, FL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 57% less than in DeLand, FL. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $207 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,386 in DeLand, FL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in DeLand, FL?
At $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,699 in DeLand, FL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in DeLand, FL. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in DeLand, FL?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in DeLand, FL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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