Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,171 in Des Moines, IA, rent and utilities included – about $11,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index
105

Cost of Living Index in Des Moines, IA
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Des Moines, IA Living Index

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Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Des Moines, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,171

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Des Moines, IA

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 Des Moines, IA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,171 in Des Moines, IA.

Playa del Carmen $1,204
Des Moines, IA $2,171

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,102 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,236 in Des Moines, IA.

Playa del Carmen $2,102
Des Moines, IA $3,236

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,000 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,301 in Des Moines, IA.

Playa del Carmen $3,000
Des Moines, IA $4,301

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 45% less than in Des Moines, IA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 11% below, Des Moines, IA is 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.86 MX$201

$19.69 $19.69

-44.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.21 MX$817

$80.8 $80.8

-45.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.76 MX$217

$12.22 $12.22

-3.76%

Cappuccino

$3.68 MX$68.0

$6.16 $6.16

-40.26%

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

$1.34 MX$24.79

$2.93 $2.93

-54.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$15.24

$2.56 $2.56

-67.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.06 MX$56.6

$4.99 $4.99

-38.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 MX$91.2

$5.89 $5.89

-16.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 MX$27.17

$0.91 $0.91

61.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$40.95

$3.03 $3.03

-26.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 MX$27.32

$3.38 $3.38

-56.21%

Eggs

$2.49 MX$45.99

$4.00 $4.00

-37.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.52 MX$139

$9.69 $9.69

-22.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.96 MX$147

$9.91 $9.91

-19.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.57 MX$232

$13.68 $13.68

-8.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MX$51.3

$4.33 $4.33

-35.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MX$26.37

$1.51 $1.51

-5.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MX$48.37

$4.54 $4.54

-42.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MX$39.49

$3.68 $3.68

-41.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$37.38

$3.07 $3.07

-34.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$36.74

$2.14 $2.14

-7.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 MX$21.01

$2.38 $2.38

-52.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$22.18

$2.19 $2.19

-45.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 MX$78.7

$7.85 $7.85

-45.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.02 MX$185

$14.79 $14.79

-32.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$28.41

$1.70 $1.70

-9.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 MX$49.17

$3.09 $3.09

-13.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 MX$9.73

$1.73 $1.73

-69.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.51 MX$508

$58.1 $58.1

-52.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.90 MX$90.6

$1.97 $1.97

148.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.43 MX$63.5

$1.23 $1.23

178.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.38 MX$99.4

$19.70 $19.70

-72.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$26.76

$0.93 $0.93

55.91%

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

$21.2K MX$391.0K

$27.2K $27.2K

-22.15%

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

$23.0K MX$425.3K

$25.1K $25.1K

-8.47%

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

$85.4 MX$1,577

$185 $185

-53.76%

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

$23.46 MX$434

$53.6 $53.6

-56.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.43 MX$525

$70.2 $70.2

-59.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.2 MX$1,149

$63.8 $63.8

-2.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.68 MX$530

$20.14 $20.14

42.40%

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 MX$94.3

$9.99 $9.99

-48.95%

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

$201 MX$3,715

$1,187 $1,187

-83.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,947 MX$72.9K

$12.0K $12.0K

-66.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.39 MX$820

$59.5 $59.5

-25.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.35 MX$764

$42.98 $42.98

-3.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.7 MX$1,344

$101 $101

-27.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.6 MX$1,656

$145 $145

-38.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$979 MX$18.1K

$1,177 $1,177

-16.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 MX$6,887

$872 $872

-57.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,681 MX$31.1K

$1,738 $1,738

-3.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 MX$20.2K

$1,394 $1,394

-21.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,949 MX$73.0K

$2,320 $2,320

70.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,137 MX$113.4K

$2,325 $2,325

163.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$738 MX$13.6K

$3,647 $3,647

-79.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.56

74.54%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Last update for Des Moines, IA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$373 31%

Des Moines, IA

$872 40.2% 134% $500

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$258 21.5%

Des Moines, IA

$349 16.1% 35.2% $91

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$200 16.6%

Des Moines, IA

$327 15.1% 63.2% $127

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4%

Des Moines, IA

$308 14.2% 125% $171

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3%

Des Moines, IA

$157 7.2% 40.5% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$72 6%

Des Moines, IA

$84 3.9% 15.7% $11

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$52 4.3%

Des Moines, IA

$73 3.4% 41.5% $21

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $979 in Playa del Carmen and $1,177 in Des Moines, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 394% 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: $44.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $81.0 in Des Moines, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $349 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇺🇸 Des Moines, IA

🕒 Local time

04:33 4:33 AM

Same time as Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

214,133

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Playa del Carmen Des Moines, IA 2,420 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
Des Moines, IA

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 Des Moines, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 80% 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, salaries run 394% lower in Des Moines, IA. 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: $979 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,177 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 $44.00 versus $81.0 in Des Moines, IA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,171 in Des Moines, IA – a 80% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,171 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 $1,204 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 80% less than in Des Moines, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.