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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,199 in Dilijan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,935 in Dilijan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,671 in Dilijan.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 7% more expensive than Dilijan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Dilijan 10% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Dilijan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94 MX$209
$10.60 ֏3,930
12.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75 MX$748
$39.99 ֏14.8K
6.90%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.59 MX$185
$7.77 ֏2,880
36.29%
Cappuccino
$3.62 MX$63.4
$2.67 ֏992
35.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 MX$25.69
$0.96 ֏356
53.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 MX$16.51
$0.53 ֏198
77.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.09 MX$54.1
$1.81 ֏672
70.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46 MX$78.0
$2.56 ֏947
74.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Dilijan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.94
$1.65 ֏613
-13.33%
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 MX$32.97
$0.84 ֏311
123.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 MX$28.50
$2.32 ֏861
-29.74%
Eggs
$2.64 MX$46.26
$2.36 ֏875
11.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.21 MX$144
$8.15 ֏3,021
0.74%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.29 MX$145
$7.22 ֏2,677
14.82%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.10 MX$194
$12.15 ֏4,502
-8.64%
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 MX$46.40
$1.32 ֏490
100.76%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$26.26
$1.55 ֏575
-3.23%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 MX$34.79
$1.70 ֏630
17.06%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 MX$36.33
$2.24 ֏830
-7.14%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 MX$31.29
$0.76 ֏281
135.53%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 MX$38.09
$0.73 ֏270
198.63%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 MX$18.84
$0.90 ֏332
20.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04 MX$18.15
$0.68 ֏254
52.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97 MX$69.5
$2.57 ֏952
54.47%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.20 MX$179
$8.04 ֏2,980
26.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 MX$30.22
$1.29 ֏478
34.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 MX$43.71
$2.26 ֏839
10.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Dilijan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.52 MX$9.07
$0.25 ֏92.5
108.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.97 MX$472
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 MX$55.0
$1.53 ֏568
105.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.40 MX$42.04
$0.31 ֏115
674.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.09 MX$54.0
$4.57 ֏1,695
-32.39%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MX$22.28
$1.41 ֏524
-9.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9K MX$540.4K
$31.8K ֏11.8M
-2.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$408.0K
$36.9K ֏13.7M
-36.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Dilijan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.0 MX$1,435
$120 ֏44.4K
-31.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45 MX$393
$7.57 ֏2,806
196.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66 MX$519
$20.74 ֏7,689
43.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Dilijan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.9 MX$908
$90.2 ֏33.4K
-42.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67 MX$327
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.97 MX$87.0
$2.66 ֏985
86.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Dilijan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$198 MX$3,462
$156 ֏57.8K
26.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,273 MX$92.3K
$7,757 ֏2.9M
-32.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Dilijan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34 MX$636
$112 ֏41.5K
-67.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05 MX$701
$59.9 ֏22.2K
-33.15%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 MX$1,398
$142 ֏52.7K
-43.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9 MX$1,555
$137 ֏50.9K
-35.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Dilijan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$963 MX$16.9K
$554 ֏205.4K
73.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$465 MX$8,133
$373 ֏138.4K
24.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,596 MX$27.9K
$963 ֏356.9K
65.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,209 MX$21.2K
$845 ֏313.3K
43.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,942 MX$69.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,448 MX$112.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Dilijan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$720 MX$12.6K
$680 ֏252.2K
5.88%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
15.53
-26.46%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Dilijan: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $554 in Dilijan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 6% 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: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $40.00 in Dilijan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $217 per month, with Dilijan 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 Dilijan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Playa del Carmen and Dilijan?
Playa del Carmen and Dilijan differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($1,287 vs $1,199 including rent). Dilijan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Playa del Carmen or Dilijan?
Playa del Carmen pays 6% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Playa del Carmen and Dilijan?
Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $554 in Dilijan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Playa del Carmen or Dilijan?
All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,199 in Dilijan – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,199 in Dilijan versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dilijan but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Dilijan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Dilijan?
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.
Is Playa del Carmen or Dilijan safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Dilijan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Playa del Carmen or Dilijan?
Expats usually find Dilijan 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.

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