Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Des Moines, IA Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Des Moines, IA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,077 in Des Moines, IA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,130 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,127 in Des Moines, IA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,999 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,176 in Des Moines, IA.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 39% less than in Des Moines, IA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Des Moines, IA is 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$15.83 $15.83

-26.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$78.5 $78.5

-46.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$11.96 $11.96

-13.04%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$4.90 $4.90

-26.33%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$2.31 $2.31

-36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$1.92 $1.92

-52.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$5.14 $5.14

-41.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$6.94 $6.94

-35.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$0.98 $0.98

40.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$2.43 $2.43

-24.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$2.23 $2.23

-27.80%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$3.65 $3.65

-29.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$12.83 $12.83

-33.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$10.59 $10.59

-19.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$12.72 $12.72

-13.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$4.59 $4.59

-40.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$1.49 $1.49

0.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$3.77 $3.77

-48.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$3.45 $3.45

-38.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$1.68 $1.68

10.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$2.95 $2.95

-26.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$2.31 $2.31

-53.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$1.13 $1.13

-7.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$6.98 $6.98

-39.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$14.86 $14.86

-30.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$1.68 $1.68

-0.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$3.95 $3.95

-36.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$1.80 $1.80

-70.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$57.7 $57.7

-54.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$1.96 $1.96

58.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$1.26 $1.26

95.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$19.93 $19.93

-83.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$0.82 $0.82

53.66%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$26.5K $26.5K

13.88%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$24.9K $24.9K

-5.74%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$148 $148

-43.13%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$50.3 $50.3

-55.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$52.8 $52.8

-43.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$67.9 $67.9

-22.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$20.01 $20.01

-8.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$15.07 $15.07

-67.15%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$1,391 $1,391

-85.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$11.9K $11.9K

-55.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$52.9 $52.9

-32.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$42.50 $42.50

-5.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$73.9 $73.9

6.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$124 $124

-30.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$1,209 $1,209

-19.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$897 $897

-47.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$1,788 $1,788

-10.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$1,514 $1,514

-19.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$2,334 $2,334

72.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$2,352 $2,352

179.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$3,564 $3,564

-79.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.5

75.69%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Des Moines, IA: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $977 in Playa del Carmen and $1,209 in Des Moines, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 399% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42 in Playa del Carmen vs $79 in Des Moines, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $331 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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 Des Moines, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 65% lower than in Des Moines, IA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Des Moines, IA earns 399% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,209 in Des Moines, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $79.0 in Des Moines, IA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,077 in Des Moines, IA – a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,077 in Des Moines, IA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Des Moines, IA. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,261 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Des Moines, IA 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Des Moines, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.