๐A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,186 in Dunafรถldvรกr, rent included.
๐A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,832 in Dunafรถldvรกr, rent included.
๐A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,478 in Dunafรถldvรกr, rent included.
๐Playa del Carmen costs about 7% more than Dunafรถldvรกr, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
๐Both Playa del Carmen and Dunafรถldvรกr are more affordable than the global median โ Playa del Carmen5% lower, Dunafรถldvรกr12% lower.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Dunafรถldvรกr
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.87MX$204
$11.47Ftย 3,470
3.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.90MX$736
$48.20Ftย 14.6K
-11.00%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.65MX$183
$7.83Ftย 2,370
36.02%
Cappuccino
$3.45MX$59.2
$2.49Ftย 753
38.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50MX$25.81
$1.43Ftย 432
4.90%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95MX$16.28
$0.93Ftย 280
2.15%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.03MX$51.9
$2.60Ftย 787
16.54%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61MX$79.1
$2.64Ftย 799
74.62%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Dunafรถldvรกr
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38MX$23.61
$1.12Ftย 338
23.21%
White Bread(500g)
$1.85MX$31.70
$1.48Ftย 447
25.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.61MX$27.65
$1.80Ftย 543
-10.56%
Eggs
$2.59MX$44.51
$2.95Ftย 893
-12.20%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.26MX$142
$9.43Ftย 2,853
-12.41%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.37MX$144
$5.89Ftย 1,781
42.11%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.66MX$183
$10.97Ftย 3,319
-2.83%
Apples(1kg)
$2.63MX$45.12
$2.24Ftย 677
17.41%
Banana(1kg)
$1.49MX$25.53
$1.96Ftย 593
-23.98%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.92MX$32.94
$2.02Ftย 611
-4.95%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.09MX$35.81
$4.19Ftย 1,268
-50.12%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$31.88
$1.40Ftย 424
32.86%
Onion(1kg)
$2.26MX$38.81
$1.27Ftย 386
77.95%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.06MX$18.23
$1.49Ftย 451
-28.86%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09MX$18.67
$0.49Ftย 148
122.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15MX$71.2
$7.51Ftย 2,273
-44.74%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.39MX$178
$6.45Ftย 1,951
61.09%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72MX$29.59
$1.10Ftย 332
56.36%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61MX$44.85
$1.18Ftย 358
121.19%
๐ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Dunafรถldvรกr
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.30
$1.12Ftย 340
-51.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.94MX$462
$25.21Ftย 7,628
6.86%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.13MX$53.7
$2.95Ftย 894
6.10%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.51MX$43.09
$1.15Ftย 347
118.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.15MX$54.1
$17.10Ftย 5,173
-81.58%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$21.88
$1.77Ftย 535
-28.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4KMX$521.3K
$31.1KFtย 9.4M
-2.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6KMX$404.5K
$36.6KFtย 11.1M
-35.60%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Dunafรถldvรกr
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.0MX$1,425
$146Ftย 44.1K
-43.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.71MX$390
$30.24Ftย 9,148
-24.90%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.46MX$506
$24.98Ftย 7,556
17.93%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Dunafรถldvรกr
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.0MX$875
$46.36Ftย 14.0K
10.01%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.33MX$315
$16.62Ftย 5,027
10.29%
Cinema Ticket
$4.93MX$84.5
$8.12Ftย 2,458
-39.29%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Dunafรถldvรกr
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$197MX$3,386
$468Ftย 141.6K
-57.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,280MX$90.6K
$6,638Ftย 2.0M
-20.46%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Dunafรถldvรกr
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.90MX$633
$90.6Ftย 27.4K
-59.29%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.89MX$685
$26.12Ftย 7,903
52.72%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.0MX$1,373
$93.9Ftย 28.4K
-14.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5MX$1,536
$105Ftย 31.6K
-14.45%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Dunafรถldvรกr
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$956MX$16.4K
$451Ftย 136.4K
112.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$477MX$8,189
$340Ftย 103.0K
40.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,646MX$28.3K
$623Ftย 188.4K
164.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,225MX$21.0K
$529Ftย 160.2K
131.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,918MX$67.2K
$3,238Ftย 979.5K
21.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,459MX$110.9K
$2,438Ftย 737.7K
164.92%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Dunafรถldvรกr
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$667MX$11.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
8
42.75%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026
Last update for Dunafรถldvรกr: June 9, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $451 in Dunafรถldvรกr. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
๐A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $48.00 in Dunafรถldvรกr. Groceries tell a different story โ $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $227 in Dunafรถldvรกr โ so Dunafรถldvรกr wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
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 Dunafรถldvรกr: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dunafรถldvรกr cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes โ Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,779 in Dunafรถldvรกr. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Dunafรถldvรกr, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or Dunafรถldvรกr?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $48.00 in Dunafรถldvรกr. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and cafรฉ pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs Dunafรถldvรกr?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,186 in Dunafรถldvรกr. The difference isn't just one category โ it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Dunafรถldvรกr?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dunafรถldvรกr, where all-in costs run around $1,186, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Dunafรถldvรกr it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Dunafรถldvรกr more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Dunafรถldvรกr โ lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Dunafรถldvรกr?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison โ central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Dunafรถldvรกr. 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.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared