Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Dong Xoai Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Dong Xoai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $734 in Dong Xoai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,141 in Dong Xoai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,548 in Dong Xoai, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 71% more than Dong Xoai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Dong Xoai are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Dong Xoai 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$1.90 ₫50.0K

531.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$20.68 ₫543.7K

102.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$4.40 ₫115.6K

144.32%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$1.56 ₫41.1K

124.36%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.50 ₫13.2K

190.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.28 ₫7,264

214.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$0.92 ₫24.3K

220.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$1.50 ₫39.5K

200.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.44 ₫37.8K

-0.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.99 ₫26.0K

85.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.01 ₫26.6K

55.45%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.42 ₫37.5K

76.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$11.85 ₫311.5K

-30.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$3.65 ₫96.1K

130.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$9.65 ₫253.6K

10.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$2.76 ₫72.6K

-5.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.02 ₫26.8K

41.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$1.29 ₫33.9K

51.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$1.08 ₫28.4K

93.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$1.06 ₫27.9K

74.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$1.01 ₫26.4K

114.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.62 ₫16.4K

66.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.48 ₫12.5K

122.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$1.36 ₫35.7K

201.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$10.55 ₫277.4K

-3.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$0.76 ₫19.9K

121.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$1.63 ₫42.9K

55.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.35 ₫9,090

45.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$6.60 ₫173.4K

294.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$0.80 ₫21.1K

303.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.66 ₫17.4K

265.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$2.76 ₫72.6K

17.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$0.83 ₫21.8K

59.04%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$35.5K ₫932.8M

-16.30%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$31.3K ₫823.6M

-24.46%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$76.8 ₫2.0M

6.85%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$5.98 ₫157.1K

283.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$8.78 ₫230.9K

242.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$21.13 ₫555.5K

145.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$7.88 ₫207.1K

135.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$3.11 ₫81.7K

60.13%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$270 ₫7.1M

-26.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$11.8K ₫309.6M

-54.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$40.98 ₫1.1M

-13.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$23.39 ₫614.9K

72.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$86.9 ₫2.3M

-9.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$75.8 ₫2.0M

17.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$359 ₫9.4M

163.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$245 ₫6.5M

93.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$692 ₫18.2M

137.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$459 ₫12.1M

163.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$2,413 ₫63.4M

68.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$1,246 ₫32.8M

419.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.1

25.49%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Dong Xoai: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $359 in Dong Xoai. 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $21.00 in Dong Xoai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $189 – making Dong Xoai 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 Dong Xoai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, $734 in Dong Xoai – roughly 71% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,100 in Dong Xoai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dong Xoai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $734 in Dong Xoai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 295% less in Dong Xoai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Dong Xoai, where all-in costs run around $734, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Dong Xoai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $734 in Dong Xoai to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Dong Xoai. 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.