Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Dezful

For one person, living is cheaper in Dezful: $535 a month against $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Dezful, Iran
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Dezful
🇮🇷 Iran
$535
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Dezful

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Dezful actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,202 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $535 in Dezful, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,202
  • Dezful $535

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $841 in Dezful, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Dezful $841

A family of three spends $2,962 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,147 in Dezful, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,962
  • Dezful $1,147

Playa del Carmen costs about 125% more than Dezful, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Playa del Carmen and Dezful are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 11% lower, Dezful 60% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Dezful
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.67 MX$201
$3.09 $3.09
245.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.80 MX$824
$15.69 $15.69
179.16%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.79 MX$222
$3.90 $3.90
202.31%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.73 $0.73
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.02 $1.02
-
Cappuccino
$3.79 MX$71.2
$1.09 $1.09
247.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30 MX$24.41
$0.77 $0.77
68.83%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 MX$15.69
$1.01 $1.01
-17.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 MX$59.2
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.9
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Dezful
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.51
$0.69 $0.69
104.35%
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 MX$41.32
$0.52 $0.52
323.08%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.47 MX$27.71
$1.98 $1.98
-25.76%
Eggs
$2.50 MX$46.99
$1.17 $1.17
113.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.29 MX$137
$4.32 $4.32
68.75%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.95 MX$150
$3.36 $3.36
136.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.86 MX$242
$10.19 $10.19
26.20%
Apples (1kg)
$2.90 MX$54.5
$1.03 $1.03
181.55%
Banana (1kg)
$1.38 MX$26.03
$1.60 $1.60
-13.75%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.49 MX$46.88
$0.83 $0.83
200.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 MX$38.20
$0.56 $0.56
262.50%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$38.11
$0.58 $0.58
248.28%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 MX$35.82
$0.51 $0.51
272.55%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.54
$0.53 $0.53
115.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 MX$23.32
$0.24 $0.24
416.67%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$0.79 $0.79
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.50 $0.50
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.40 $1.40
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27 MX$80.4
$2.53 $2.53
68.77%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.81 MX$185
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 MX$29.85
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 MX$51.7
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Dezful
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$9.69
$0.17 $0.17
200.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.39 MX$515
$9.81 $9.81
179.20%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.76 MX$89.6
$0.42 $0.42
1033.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.25 MX$61.1
$0.29 $0.29
1020.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 MX$101
$2.52 $2.52
113.89%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.53 MX$28.76
$0.08 $0.08
1812.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$399.2K
$49.7K $49.7K
-57.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$437.8K
$44.9K $44.9K
-48.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Dezful
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.5 MX$1,571
$13.15 $13.15
534.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.19 MX$436
$1.54 $1.54
1405.84%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.61 MX$520
$3.95 $3.95
598.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Dezful
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.4 MX$1,062
$18.41 $18.41
206.52%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.19 MX$531
$13.36 $13.36
111.00%
Cinema Ticket
$5.00 MX$94.1
$2.04 $2.04
145.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Dezful
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,897
$107 $107
94.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,231 MX$98.4K
$2,428 $2,428
115.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Dezful
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.45 MX$818
$22.80 $22.80
90.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.54 MX$801
$28.41 $28.41
49.74%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.8 MX$1,369
$99.2 $99.2
-26.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.4 MX$1,663
$71.8 $71.8
23.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Dezful
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$995 MX$18.7K
$287 $287
246.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$382 MX$7,197
$211 $211
80.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,674 MX$31.5K
$796 $796
110.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,081 MX$20.3K
$352 $352
207.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,909 MX$73.6K
$1,142 $1,142
242.28%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,138 MX$115.5K
$529 $529
1060.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Dezful
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$832 MX$15.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
24.3
-52.88%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Last update for Dezful: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$382
Dezful
$211 44.7% $171
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$257
Dezful
$114 55.8% $144
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Dezful
$57 71.7% $144
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$134
Dezful
$19 86.1% $116
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$111
Dezful
$100 10.1% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$66
Dezful
$22 66.1% $44
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Dezful
$12 75.5% $38

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Playa del Carmen versus $287 in Dezful. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44 in Playa del Carmen versus $16 in Dezful. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $114 – making Dezful the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇮🇷 Dezful
🕒 Local time
07:40 7:40 AM
16:10 4:10 PM
8 h 30 min ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
248,380
💱 Currency
USD USD
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 18.82 MXN (100 MXN = 5.31 USD). 1 EUR = 21.1 MXN (100 MXN = 4.74 EUR).

USD exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Dezful 12,460 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Dezful

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Dezful: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Playa del Carmen and in Dezful compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, $535 in Dezful – Dezful comes out roughly 55% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Playa del Carmen compared to Dezful?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,804 per month in Playa del Carmen and $803 in Dezful. 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 Dezful?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Dezful, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $287 there versus $995 in Playa del Carmen.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 126% more in Playa del Carmen, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $44 in Playa del Carmen and $16 in Dezful. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Dezful, where all-in costs run around $535, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,202. In Dezful it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Playa del Carmen or Dezful?
Families tend to lean toward Dezful – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Where should expats move: Playa del Carmen or Dezful?
For expats, Dezful is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 55% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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