😐A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $917 in Deva, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,400 in Deva, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,882 in Deva, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 41% more than Deva, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Deva are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen6% lower, Deva33% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Deva
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.71MX$198
$7.11RON 32.11
64.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.59MX$787
$22.26RON 101
109.30%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.65MX$197
$7.84RON 35.41
48.60%
Cappuccino
$4.09MX$69.2
$1.82RON 8.23
124.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37MX$23.23
$2.19RON 9.88
-37.44%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83MX$14.09
$1.27RON 5.72
-34.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.35MX$56.7
$1.36RON 6.13
146.32%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.91MX$117
$2.24RON 10.11
208.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Deva
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.73MX$29.19
$1.77RON 8.00
-2.26%
White Bread(500g)
$2.26MX$38.20
$1.41RON 6.37
60.28%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.77MX$29.90
$1.21RON 5.47
46.28%
Eggs
$2.73MX$46.18
$3.35RON 15.15
-18.51%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.18MX$155
$8.32RON 37.58
10.34%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.92MX$151
$5.28RON 23.87
68.94%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.60MX$213
$8.51RON 38.43
48.06%
Apples(1kg)
$3.02MX$51.1
$1.52RON 6.85
98.68%
Banana(1kg)
$1.57MX$26.54
$1.44RON 6.51
9.03%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.13MX$35.92
$1.62RON 7.30
31.48%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.26MX$38.27
$2.30RON 10.40
-1.74%
Potato(1kg)
$2.00MX$33.87
$0.80RON 3.61
150.00%
Onion(1kg)
$2.06MX$34.89
$1.01RON 4.56
103.96%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.18MX$19.94
$0.93RON 4.19
26.88%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20MX$20.35
$0.91RON 4.13
31.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.63MX$78.3
$5.58RON 25.20
-17.03%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.69MX$181
$7.92RON 35.78
34.97%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62MX$27.37
$1.08RON 4.87
50.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88MX$48.69
$1.79RON 8.07
60.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Deva
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.57MX$9.69
$0.52RON 2.36
9.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$29.83MX$504
$34.17RON 154
-12.70%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.45MX$92.1
$0.78RON 3.53
598.72%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.70MX$62.6
$0.65RON 2.92
469.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.98MX$101
$8.70RON 39.32
-31.26%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.55MX$26.25
$1.60RON 7.24
-3.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.3KMX$377.3K
$29.9KRON 135.3K
-25.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.9KMX$438.5K
$26.1KRON 117.7K
-0.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Deva
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$89.1MX$1,506
$138RON 625
-35.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.04MX$423
$8.99RON 40.64
178.53%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.50MX$532
$10.14RON 45.83
210.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Deva
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$67.8MX$1,145
$41.25RON 186
64.32%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.92MX$489
$55.4RON 250
-47.77%
Cinema Ticket
$5.05MX$85.3
$6.46RON 29.19
-21.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Deva
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$225MX$3,802
$616RON 2,783
-63.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,222MX$71.4K
$10.0KRON 45.3K
-57.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Deva
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.44MX$802
$74.2RON 335
-36.09%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.98MX$760
$46.53RON 210
-3.33%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$82.0MX$1,386
$87.3RON 394
-6.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.1MX$1,556
$77.3RON 349
19.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Deva
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,069MX$18.1K
$248RON 1,120
331.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$405MX$6,850
$191RON 862
112.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,935MX$32.7K
$417RON 1,884
364.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,301MX$22.0K
$365RON 1,651
256.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,995MX$67.5K
$4,941RON 22.3K
-19.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,626MX$112.0K
$3,528RON 15.9K
87.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Deva
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$749MX$12.7K
$1,198RON 5,412
-37.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.45
6.73
70.13%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026
Last update for Deva: August 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $248 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 60% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $22.00 in Deva. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $205 – 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: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, $917 in Deva – roughly 41% 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,375 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 35% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $22.00 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 $917, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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 $917 in Deva to $1,293 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.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared