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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $519 in Duma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $796 in Duma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,074 in Duma.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 150% more expensive than Duma, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Duma 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$5.98 SYP 661

96.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$27.51 SYP 3,040

51.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.49 SYP 606

93.81%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$1.56 SYP 172

125.64%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.13 SYP 125

33.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.69 SYP 76.0

40.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.62 SYP 179

82.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$2.47 SYP 273

80.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.02 SYP 113

35.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.60 SYP 65.9

215.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.70 SYP 188

-3.53%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.86 SYP 206

34.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$3.01 SYP 332

177.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$7.72 SYP 853

8.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$11.26 SYP 1,244

-4.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$0.88 SYP 97.0

195.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.72 SYP 190

-15.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.03 SYP 114

84.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$0.96 SYP 106

116.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.62 SYP 68.0

187.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.66 SYP 72.8

231.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.38 SYP 41.55

173.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.62 SYP 68.9

74.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$3.02 SYP 334

35.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$5.94 SYP 656

73.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.02 SYP 112

67.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.84 SYP 203

40.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.99 SYP 109

229.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$1.23 SYP 136

102.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$6.38 SYP 705

-49.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$3.76 SYP 415

-65.16%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$18.6K SYP 2.1M

62.60%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$21.0K SYP 2.3M

11.50%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$100 SYP 11.1K

-17.31%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$8.60 SYP 950

158.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$55.2 SYP 6,102

-46.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$3.02 SYP 334

67.88%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$43.19 SYP 4,773

364.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$1,854 SYP 204.8K

181.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$29.12 SYP 3,218

26.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$25.61 SYP 2,830

55.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$45.12 SYP 4,986

73.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$56.0 SYP 6,184

55.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

13.75

-16.95%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Duma: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $28.00 in Duma for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $168 per month, with Duma 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 Duma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Duma wins on cost – living expenses run 150% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Duma the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,945 in Playa del Carmen and $778 in Duma to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 48% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $519 in Duma – a 150% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $519 in Duma versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Duma but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Duma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Duma delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $519 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Duma hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Duma 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 Duma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 150% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.