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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,794 in Dessau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,980 in Dessau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,166 in Dessau.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 30% less than in Dessau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Dessau is 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$19.18 €16.61

-38.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$58.4 €50.6

-28.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$11.95 €10.35

-12.05%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$3.80 €3.29

-5.53%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$2.58 €2.23

-41.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$3.03 €2.62

-69.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$5.16 €4.47

-42.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.99 €3.45

10.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.22 €1.06

14.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$2.36 €2.05

-20.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$3.38 €2.92

-53.85%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$3.82 €3.31

-31.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$14.92 €12.92

-44.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$14.38 €12.46

-41.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$23.98 €20.77

-54.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.94 €2.55

-7.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.74 €1.51

-13.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.29 €1.98

-18.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$4.93 €4.27

-55.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.52 €1.32

22.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.50 €1.30

48.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$2.06 €1.78

-48.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.23 €1.06

-11.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$9.33 €8.08

-55.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$6.69 €5.80

55.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$0.96 €0.83

72.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.68 €1.46

55.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$2.24 €1.94

-75.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$62.8 €54.4

-58.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$5.29 €4.58

-41.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$2.67 €2.31

-10.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$35.01 €30.32

-91.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.90 €1.64

-31.05%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$30.9K €26.8K

-3.65%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$38.9K €33.7K

-39.98%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$332 €287

-75.49%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$11.58 €10.03

94.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$54.6 €47.27

-44.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$31.78 €27.52

66.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$23.58 €20.42

-22.01%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$12.77 €11.06

-61.47%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$232 €201

-13.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$11.4K €9,888

-54.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$93.9 €81.3

-61.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$48.80 €42.26

-17.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$152 €132

-47.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$188 €162

-53.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$465 €403

110.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$378 €328

24.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$761 €659

116.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$1,246 €1,079

-3.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$3,398 €2,943

16.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,812 €1,569

264.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$2,206 €1,910

-69.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.98

186.93%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Dessau: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $465 in Dessau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dessau pays 226% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $58.0 in Dessau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $364 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 Dessau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 226% lower in Dessau. 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: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $465 in Dessau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 45% higher in Dessau. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $58.0 in Dessau. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,794 in Dessau, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Dessau. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Dessau, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Dessau 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 42% less than in Dessau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.