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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,330 in Playa del Carmen versus $616 in Diadema.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,336 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,068 in Diadema.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,341 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,519 in Diadema.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 116% more expensive than in Diadema, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Diadema 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$8.82 R$45.80

47.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$48.30 R$251

-4.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$8.84 R$45.90

42.42%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$2.22 R$11.52

80.18%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$1.41 R$7.30

0.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$0.87 R$4.51

-6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$2.89 R$15.03

5.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$4.18 R$21.70

63.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$1.18 R$6.14

44.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$1.91 R$9.94

16.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$1.11 R$5.78

54.95%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$2.63 R$13.67

3.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$8.58 R$44.57

9.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$4.35 R$22.61

103.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$10.04 R$52.2

27.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$2.63 R$13.64

19.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$1.73 R$8.98

-10.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$1.48 R$7.71

45.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$1.74 R$9.03

35.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$1.30 R$6.75

55.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$1.19 R$6.18

67.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$0.89 R$4.62

39.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$0.77 R$3.97

54.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$2.63 R$13.66

76.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$8.75 R$45.42

19.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$1.62 R$8.42

-2.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$2.53 R$13.16

15.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$1.22 R$6.35

336.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$0.92 R$4.76

304.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$9.26 R$48.10

-37.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$1.19 R$6.19

30.25%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$23.5K R$121.8K

-4.64%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$32.2K R$167.1K

-20.52%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$44.48 R$231

100.72%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$14.83 R$77.0

57.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$17.75 R$92.2

78.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$19.00 R$98.7

261.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$7.47 R$38.81

-32.26%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$424 R$2,201

-47.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$7,511 R$39.0K

-42.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$53.0 R$275

-12.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$55.7 R$289

-20.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$91.1 R$473

4.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$81.3 R$422

13.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

$1,155 R$5,999

249.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

$782 R$4,060

747.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$481 R$2,500

55.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

11.12

4.32%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Diadema: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 55% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $48.00 in Diadema. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $211, with Diadema cheaper for home cooking.

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 Diadema: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Diadema is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 116% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 55% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $616 in Diadema – a 116% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $616 in Diadema versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Diadema but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Diadema the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Diadema is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Diadema gentler on the wallet – expenses run 116% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.