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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,524 in Douglas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,870 in Douglas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,215 in Douglas.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 49% less than in Douglas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 4% below, Douglas is 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$30.22 IMP 22.36

-60.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$107 IMP 78.9

-59.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$9.62 IMP 7.12

10.08%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$5.27 IMP 3.90

-31.31%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$2.71 IMP 2.01

-45.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$1.92 IMP 1.42

-51.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$6.86 IMP 5.07

-54.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$6.05 IMP 4.47

-26.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$2.02 IMP 1.49

-29.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$1.94 IMP 1.43

-3.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$1.95 IMP 1.44

-16.41%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$4.38 IMP 3.24

-39.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$6.59 IMP 4.88

24.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$8.10 IMP 6.00

2.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$11.59 IMP 8.58

-4.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$2.43 IMP 1.80

9.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$1.77 IMP 1.31

-15.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$2.56 IMP 1.89

-22.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$2.84 IMP 2.10

-26.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$2.35 IMP 1.74

-23.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$2.59 IMP 1.92

-15.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$1.66 IMP 1.23

-34.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$2.04 IMP 1.51

-49.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$22.74 IMP 16.83

-82.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$12.35 IMP 9.14

-17.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$4.11 IMP 3.04

-57.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$3.81 IMP 2.82

-34.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$3.02 IMP 2.23

-82.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

$76.9 IMP 56.9

-64.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$5.15 IMP 3.81

-39.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$1.47 IMP 1.09

63.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$82.8 IMP 61.2

-96.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$2.25 IMP 1.66

-43.56%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$35.2K IMP 26.0K

-12.15%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$35.0K IMP 25.9K

-33.43%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$305 IMP 226

-73.12%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$37.92 IMP 28.06

-40.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$71.4 IMP 52.8

-58.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$63.1 IMP 46.66

-17.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$20.32 IMP 15.04

-8.12%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$13.69 IMP 10.13

-63.70%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$1,325 IMP 981

-85.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$32.2K IMP 23.9K

-83.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$97.0 IMP 71.8

-62.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$42.24 IMP 31.26

-5.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$123 IMP 91.0

-35.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$76.8 IMP 56.8

15.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$1,202 IMP 890

-19.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$1,086 IMP 803

-57.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$2,131 IMP 1,577

-25.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$1,933 IMP 1,431

-37.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

$4,151 IMP 3,072

-5.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

$3,219 IMP 2,382

100.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

$3,263 IMP 2,415

-77.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.66

212.02%

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 Douglas: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $1,202 in Douglas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Douglas pays 353% 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 $107 in Douglas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $303 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 Douglas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 96% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Douglas earns 353% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,202 in Douglas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,524 in Douglas – a 96% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 185% less than in Douglas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,524 in Douglas, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Douglas. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Douglas 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in Douglas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.