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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,752 in Douglas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,183 in Douglas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,614 in Douglas.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 54% less than in Douglas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 7% below, Douglas is 101% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$28.84 IMP 21.40

-59.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$123 IMP 91.4

-61.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$12.09 IMP 8.97

-1.74%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$5.18 IMP 3.84

-23.17%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$2.84 IMP 2.11

-49.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$2.14 IMP 1.59

-61.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$6.74 IMP 5.00

-52.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$6.02 IMP 4.47

12.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$2.61 IMP 1.93

-35.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.74 IMP 2.04

-19.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$2.16 IMP 1.60

-20.83%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$5.52 IMP 4.10

-50.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$8.38 IMP 6.22

14.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$8.99 IMP 6.67

0.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$13.09 IMP 9.71

-2.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.00 IMP 2.23

-3.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.81 IMP 1.34

-17.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$3.82 IMP 2.83

-43.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$3.61 IMP 2.68

-37.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$3.12 IMP 2.31

-36.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$3.08 IMP 2.28

-35.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.18 IMP 1.61

-43.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$2.74 IMP 2.03

-56.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$23.18 IMP 17.20

-80.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$12.25 IMP 9.09

-15.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$4.47 IMP 3.31

-63.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$4.47 IMP 3.32

-35.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$2.93 IMP 2.17

-79.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$98.3 IMP 72.9

-70.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$5.28 IMP 3.92

2.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.51 IMP 1.12

147.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$80.1 IMP 59.4

-92.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.97 IMP 1.46

-21.83%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$45.7K IMP 33.9K

-50.67%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$44.9K IMP 33.3K

-41.99%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$357 IMP 265

-74.40%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$63.0 IMP 46.76

-60.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$75.6 IMP 56.1

-58.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$65.6 IMP 48.70

2.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$19.92 IMP 14.78

46.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$16.24 IMP 12.05

-70.07%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$1,798 IMP 1,334

-87.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$53.0K IMP 39.3K

-92.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$100 IMP 74.4

-53.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$46.53 IMP 34.53

-4.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$116 IMP 86.1

-30.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$72.2 IMP 53.6

28.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$1,267 IMP 940

-16.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$1,105 IMP 820

-64.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$2,349 IMP 1,743

-8.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$2,068 IMP 1,535

-38.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$5,063 IMP 3,757

-20.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$3,958 IMP 2,937

64.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$3,057 IMP 2,269

-75.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.76

140.55%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Douglas: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $1,267 in Douglas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Douglas pays 303% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $123 in Douglas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $366 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 117% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 303% lower in Douglas. 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: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,267 in Douglas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,752 in Douglas – a 117% 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 241% less than in Douglas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,752 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 117% less than in Douglas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.