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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,218 in Devonport.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,952 in Devonport.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,686 in Devonport.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 7% more expensive than in Devonport, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Devonport 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$18.09 A$25.23

-33.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$88.1 A$123

-46.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$8.40 A$11.71

39.88%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$3.86 A$5.38

6.74%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$2.11 A$2.94

-33.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$1.81 A$2.53

-49.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$7.28 A$10.15

-55.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$9.45 A$13.18

-25.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.92 A$2.68

-12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$2.58 A$3.60

-16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.88 A$2.63

-5.85%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$5.48 A$7.64

-48.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$9.97 A$13.90

-7.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$9.06 A$12.63

1.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$13.08 A$18.23

-3.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.30 A$4.60

-10.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$3.39 A$4.72

-53.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$3.12 A$4.35

-28.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$4.75 A$6.63

-50.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$2.62 A$3.66

-24.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$2.32 A$3.23

-14.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$2.75 A$3.83

-54.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.67 A$2.33

-27.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$35.78 A$49.88

-87.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$14.16 A$19.74

-25.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$5.08 A$7.09

-66.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$5.83 A$8.13

-52.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$2.59 A$3.61

-76.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$4.57 A$6.37

14.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$2.19 A$3.06

66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$27.76 A$38.70

-79.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.31 A$1.83

17.56%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$27.8K A$38.7K

-17.87%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$40.3K A$56.2K

-35.96%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$233 A$324

-61.03%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$29.28 A$40.82

-13.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$62.1 A$86.6

-48.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$17.24 A$24.04

-71.81%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$2,030 A$2,830

-88.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$21.6K A$30.1K

-80.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$80.9 A$113

-41.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$56.4 A$78.6

-22.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$109 A$152

-26.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$131 A$182

-30.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$1,134 A$1,580

73.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$3,399 A$4,739

-77.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.2

84.68%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Devonport: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Devonport pays 340% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $88.0 in Devonport for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $371 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 Devonport: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Devonport differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($1,305 vs $1,218 including rent). Devonport is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 340% lower in Devonport. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 34% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,218 in Devonport – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,218 in Devonport versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Devonport but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Devonport the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Devonport 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 Devonport gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.