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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,515 in Douglas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,823 in Douglas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,131 in Douglas.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 50% less than in Douglas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Douglas is 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$30.49 IMP 22.65

-61.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$108 IMP 80.2

-61.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$10.20 IMP 7.58

3.04%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$5.32 IMP 3.96

-32.52%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$2.81 IMP 2.09

-46.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$1.96 IMP 1.46

-53.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$6.49 IMP 4.82

-54.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$6.23 IMP 4.63

-29.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.98 IMP 1.47

-29.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$2.00 IMP 1.49

-6.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$2.02 IMP 1.50

-22.77%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$4.35 IMP 3.23

-40.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$6.88 IMP 5.11

20.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$8.36 IMP 6.21

-0.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$11.69 IMP 8.69

-7.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.35 IMP 1.75

15.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.79 IMP 1.33

-15.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.64 IMP 1.96

-29.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$2.92 IMP 2.17

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.36 IMP 1.75

-21.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.53 IMP 1.88

-11.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.66 IMP 1.23

-35.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$2.00 IMP 1.48

-45.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$22.45 IMP 16.68

-81.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$11.95 IMP 8.88

-12.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$4.10 IMP 3.04

-59.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.73 IMP 2.77

-30.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$3.05 IMP 2.27

-82.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$76.1 IMP 56.6

-65.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$5.10 IMP 3.79

-39.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.53 IMP 1.13

56.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$80.1 IMP 59.5

-96.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$2.14 IMP 1.59

-38.79%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$34.7K IMP 25.8K

-14.10%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$36.0K IMP 26.7K

-35.13%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$302 IMP 224

-73.05%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$37.77 IMP 28.06

-40.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$70.3 IMP 52.2

-57.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$63.0 IMP 46.83

-16.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$20.53 IMP 15.25

-10.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$13.74 IMP 10.21

-64.19%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$1,315 IMP 977

-84.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$31.5K IMP 23.4K

-83.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$94.3 IMP 70.1

-61.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$41.69 IMP 30.98

-3.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$122 IMP 90.9

-34.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$78.9 IMP 58.7

9.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$1,240 IMP 921

-21.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$1,099 IMP 816

-57.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$2,152 IMP 1,599

-23.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$1,901 IMP 1,412

-36.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$4,071 IMP 3,025

-2.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$3,142 IMP 2,334

110.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$2,964 IMP 2,202

-77.17%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Douglas: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $1,240 in Douglas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Douglas pays 338% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $108 in Douglas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $305 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 100% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 338% 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: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,240 in Douglas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,515 in Douglas – a 100% 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 191% less than in Douglas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,515 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 100% less than in Douglas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.