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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $884 in Deva, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,343 in Deva, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,802 in Deva, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 47% more than Deva, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Deva are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Deva 34% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Deva
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.73 MX$203
$7.64 RON 34.59
53.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.62 MX$719
$22.87 RON 104
81.99%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.64 MX$184
$8.23 RON 37.26
29.28%
Cappuccino
$3.52 MX$60.8
$1.90 RON 8.59
85.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 MX$26.09
$1.31 RON 5.93
15.27%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97 MX$16.82
$1.15 RON 5.21
-15.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.95 MX$51.0
$1.39 RON 6.31
112.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.45 MX$77.0
$2.25 RON 10.19
97.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Deva
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 MX$23.90
$1.62 RON 7.31
-14.81%
White Bread (500g)
$1.89 MX$32.69
$1.14 RON 5.16
65.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.64 MX$28.29
$1.34 RON 6.08
22.39%
Eggs
$2.51 MX$43.30
$2.99 RON 13.51
-16.05%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.34 MX$144
$8.07 RON 36.51
3.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.34 MX$144
$5.54 RON 25.09
50.54%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.73 MX$185
$10.37 RON 46.91
3.47%
Apples (1kg)
$2.60 MX$45.00
$1.02 RON 4.64
154.90%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 MX$25.18
$1.38 RON 6.23
5.80%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.90 MX$32.84
$1.51 RON 6.84
25.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 MX$35.88
$2.01 RON 9.11
3.48%
Potato (1kg)
$1.78 MX$30.68
$0.83 RON 3.78
114.46%
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 MX$37.76
$0.78 RON 3.51
180.77%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.04 MX$17.97
$0.74 RON 3.36
40.54%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 MX$18.60
$0.80 RON 3.62
35.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.08 MX$70.5
$5.93 RON 26.85
-31.20%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.32 MX$178
$7.72 RON 34.93
33.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 MX$29.59
$1.09 RON 4.93
56.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58 MX$44.50
$1.65 RON 7.44
56.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Deva
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$8.81
$0.57 RON 2.58
-10.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.46 MX$457
$19.58 RON 88.6
35.14%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.26 MX$56.4
$0.88 RON 3.97
270.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.49 MX$43.05
$0.81 RON 3.67
207.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.25 MX$56.1
$6.98 RON 31.59
-53.44%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 MX$22.59
$1.53 RON 6.90
-14.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.3K MX$523.2K
$27.9K RON 126.2K
8.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4K MX$404.9K
$28.4K RON 128.7K
-17.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Deva
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.9 MX$1,432
$145 RON 657
-42.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.22 MX$384
$8.94 RON 40.48
148.55%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.34 MX$507
$9.59 RON 43.39
205.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Deva
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.6 MX$892
$41.85 RON 189
23.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.32 MX$317
$19.25 RON 87.1
-4.83%
Cinema Ticket
$5.07 MX$87.5
$5.85 RON 26.49
-13.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Deva
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$201 MX$3,470
$436 RON 1,975
-53.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,212 MX$90.1K
$6,860 RON 31.0K
-24.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Deva
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.92 MX$638
$71.0 RON 321
-47.99%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.79 MX$688
$15.97 RON 72.3
149.15%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.5 MX$1,356
$73.0 RON 331
7.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.1 MX$1,505
$63.9 RON 289
36.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Deva
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$973 MX$16.8K
$233 RON 1,054
317.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$468 MX$8,082
$205 RON 927
128.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,641 MX$28.4K
$407 RON 1,840
303.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,221 MX$21.1K
$349 RON 1,579
249.81%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,946 MX$68.2K
$6,369 RON 28.8K
-38.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,498 MX$112.3K
$4,131 RON 18.7K
57.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Deva
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$664 MX$11.5K
$1,066 RON 4,825
-37.73%
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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Deva: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $233 in Deva. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 61% higher in Deva, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $23.00 in Deva. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $198 – making Deva the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Deva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Playa del Carmen and Deva compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $884 in Deva – roughly 47% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Playa del Carmen compared to Deva?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,326 in Deva. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Playa del Carmen and Deva?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Deva, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 26% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $23.00 in Deva. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Deva, where all-in costs run around $884, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Deva it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Deva?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $884 in Deva to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Playa del Carmen or Deva safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Playa del Carmen and Deva?
If budget matters most, go with Deva. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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