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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $875 in Deva, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,333 in Deva, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,792 in Deva, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 44% more than Deva, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Deva are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Deva 35% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Deva
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.99 MX$209
$7.46 RON 34.22
60.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.78 MX$728
$23.11 RON 106
80.79%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.75 MX$187
$8.22 RON 37.73
30.78%
Cappuccino
$3.50 MX$60.9
$1.98 RON 9.07
76.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45 MX$25.22
$1.32 RON 6.05
9.85%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 MX$15.41
$1.11 RON 5.10
-20.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.95 MX$51.3
$1.40 RON 6.44
110.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.51 MX$78.6
$2.26 RON 10.39
99.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Deva
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.94
$1.58 RON 7.24
-9.49%
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 MX$31.99
$1.13 RON 5.19
62.83%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.57 MX$27.31
$1.42 RON 6.51
10.56%
Eggs
$2.51 MX$43.74
$3.03 RON 13.90
-17.16%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.28 MX$144
$8.39 RON 38.52
-1.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.43 MX$147
$5.60 RON 25.69
50.54%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.68 MX$186
$10.29 RON 47.23
3.79%
Apples (1kg)
$2.61 MX$45.43
$1.02 RON 4.70
155.88%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 MX$25.04
$1.30 RON 5.97
10.77%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.96 MX$34.16
$1.47 RON 6.76
33.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.09 MX$36.47
$1.90 RON 8.73
10.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 MX$32.24
$0.85 RON 3.90
117.65%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 MX$37.74
$0.78 RON 3.60
178.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 MX$17.96
$0.80 RON 3.69
28.75%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 MX$18.70
$0.79 RON 3.61
35.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.10 MX$71.4
$5.88 RON 26.98
-30.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.17 MX$177
$7.53 RON 34.56
35.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 MX$29.17
$1.09 RON 4.98
54.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 MX$43.98
$1.61 RON 7.39
57.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Deva
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$8.87
$0.56 RON 2.58
-8.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.04 MX$453
$19.77 RON 90.8
31.71%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 MX$56.3
$0.95 RON 4.34
240.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.41 MX$41.88
$0.76 RON 3.51
217.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 MX$56.2
$7.08 RON 32.51
-54.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 MX$23.00
$1.56 RON 7.15
-15.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K MX$517.1K
$28.1K RON 129.2K
5.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.7K MX$412.0K
$28.4K RON 130.2K
-16.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Deva
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.0 MX$1,428
$144 RON 661
-43.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.95 MX$400
$8.81 RON 40.42
160.50%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.11 MX$524
$9.75 RON 44.74
208.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Deva
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.0 MX$905
$42.66 RON 196
21.82%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.53 MX$323
$19.22 RON 88.3
-3.59%
Cinema Ticket
$4.98 MX$86.6
$5.66 RON 25.99
-12.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Deva
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$197 MX$3,438
$430 RON 1,972
-54.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,336 MX$92.9K
$6,868 RON 31.5K
-22.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Deva
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.60 MX$620
$72.0 RON 331
-50.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.33 MX$702
$16.26 RON 74.6
148.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.8 MX$1,371
$72.5 RON 333
8.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9 MX$1,549
$62.7 RON 288
41.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Deva
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$947 MX$16.5K
$230 RON 1,058
310.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$474 MX$8,254
$203 RON 930
133.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,644 MX$28.6K
$396 RON 1,819
314.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,211 MX$21.1K
$354 RON 1,623
242.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,056 MX$70.6K
$4,967 RON 22.8K
-18.34%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,470 MX$112.7K
$3,561 RON 16.3K
81.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Deva
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$654 MX$11.4K
$1,174 RON 5,387
-44.28%
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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Deva: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $230 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 79% 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 in Deva compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, $875 in Deva – roughly 44% 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,312 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 $875, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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 $875 in Deva to $1,256 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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