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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $954 in Dupnica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,496 in Dupnica, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,038 in Dupnica, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 33% more than Dupnica, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Dupnica are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Dupnica 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$10.46 BGN 17.40

13.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$40.51 BGN 67.4

5.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$10.22 BGN 17.00

4.21%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.90 BGN 3.15

81.58%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.37 BGN 2.27

9.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$1.06 BGN 1.76

-10.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.88 BGN 3.13

61.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.90 BGN 4.82

58.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$2.01 BGN 3.34

-31.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.52 BGN 0.87

255.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.02 BGN 1.69

57.84%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$3.79 BGN 6.31

-31.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$12.77 BGN 21.24

-35.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$8.41 BGN 13.99

-0.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$10.54 BGN 17.53

1.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.15 BGN 1.92

128.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.65 BGN 2.75

-9.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.05 BGN 3.41

-6.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.98 BGN 3.29

5.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.07 BGN 1.78

73.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.07 BGN 1.78

111.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.52 BGN 0.87

103.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.49 BGN 0.81

122.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$3.68 BGN 6.12

12.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$5.20 BGN 8.65

99.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$0.72 BGN 1.20

138.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.63 BGN 2.71

60.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.54 BGN 0.90

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$26.50 BGN 44.09

1.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.17 BGN 1.94

167.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.65 BGN 1.09

286.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$11.78 BGN 19.60

-73.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.57 BGN 2.61

-19.11%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$36.4K BGN 60.5K

-16.49%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$34.0K BGN 56.5K

-30.65%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$121 BGN 201

-31.20%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$17.65 BGN 29.36

28.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$13.48 BGN 22.42

118.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$29.43 BGN 48.96

73.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$14.89 BGN 24.76

23.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$4.71 BGN 7.83

4.67%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$325 BGN 540

-39.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$5,517 BGN 9,178

-4.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$44.44 BGN 73.9

-16.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$29.98 BGN 49.88

33.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$128 BGN 212

-37.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$78.0 BGN 130

14.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$295 BGN 491

224.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$235 BGN 392

102.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$477 BGN 793

245.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$357 BGN 594

242.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$1,101 BGN 1,832

-39.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.1

123.92%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Dupnica: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $295 in Dupnica. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 65% higher in Dupnica, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $41.00 in Dupnica. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $221 – making Dupnica the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Dupnica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, $954 in Dupnica – roughly 33% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,431 in Dupnica. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dupnica, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $325 in Dupnica. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Dupnica, where all-in costs run around $954, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Dupnica it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $954 in Dupnica to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Dupnica. 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.