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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $964 in Dupnica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,510 in Dupnica, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,055 in Dupnica, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 31% 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 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$10.27 BGN 17.09

14.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$41.67 BGN 69.3

0.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$9.96 BGN 16.56

5.52%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.97 BGN 3.28

82.23%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.31 BGN 2.18

15.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$1.06 BGN 1.76

-13.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.95 BGN 3.24

51.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.88 BGN 4.79

53.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$2.03 BGN 3.38

-31.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.57 BGN 0.95

229.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.99 BGN 1.65

57.58%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$3.83 BGN 6.37

-31.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$12.88 BGN 21.42

-35.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$8.10 BGN 13.48

3.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$10.44 BGN 17.38

4.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.13 BGN 1.88

139.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.73 BGN 2.87

-12.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.02 BGN 3.37

-7.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$2.08 BGN 3.45

5.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.07 BGN 1.78

73.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.12 BGN 1.86

99.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.52 BGN 0.87

105.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.52 BGN 0.86

109.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$3.85 BGN 6.41

8.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$5.32 BGN 8.85

96.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$0.72 BGN 1.20

130.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.61 BGN 2.68

62.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.57 BGN 0.95

-5.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$26.50 BGN 44.09

-1.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$1.19 BGN 1.98

158.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.61 BGN 1.02

293.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$12.03 BGN 20.02

-73.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.50 BGN 2.49

-12.67%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$37.0K BGN 61.6K

-19.55%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$34.6K BGN 57.5K

-32.55%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$120 BGN 199

-32.01%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$17.39 BGN 28.94

29.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$13.44 BGN 22.36

123.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$29.40 BGN 48.92

79.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$14.81 BGN 24.63

24.17%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$4.77 BGN 7.94

3.14%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$329 BGN 547

-38.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$5,470 BGN 9,100

-5.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$44.07 BGN 73.3

-18.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$29.13 BGN 48.47

37.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$125 BGN 209

-36.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$77.7 BGN 129

11.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$291 BGN 484

236.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$232 BGN 386

102.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$468 BGN 778

252.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$361 BGN 600

233.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$1,083 BGN 1,802

-37.53%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Dupnica: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $291 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 60% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $42.00 in Dupnica. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $221 in Dupnica – so Dupnica 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 Dupnica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, $964 in Dupnica – roughly 31% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,446 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 $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $329 in Dupnica. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% 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 $964, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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 $964 in Dupnica to $1,260 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.