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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $970 in Durazno.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,130 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,519 in Durazno.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,999 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,067 in Durazno.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 30% more expensive than Durazno, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Durazno 28% lower.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Durazno
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.67 MX$202
$12.28 UYUย 489
-4.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.88 MX$726
$41.54 UYUย 1,653
0.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.40 MX$180
$11.09 UYUย 441
-6.22%
Cappuccino
$3.61 MX$62.6
$2.91 UYUย 116
24.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 MX$25.45
$1.21 UYUย 48.12
21.49%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 MX$15.80
$1.07 UYUย 42.67
-14.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.03 MX$52.6
$2.26 UYUย 90.0
34.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 MX$77.4
$2.26 UYUย 90.0
97.79%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Durazno
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 MX$23.83
$1.22 UYUย 48.43
13.11%
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 MX$31.93
$2.86 UYUย 114
-35.66%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 MX$27.82
$1.59 UYUย 63.4
1.26%
Eggs
$2.57 MX$44.52
$4.79 UYUย 191
-46.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.49 MX$147
$13.67 UYUย 544
-37.89%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.49 MX$147
$10.80 UYUย 430
-21.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.99 MX$190
$10.85 UYUย 432
1.29%
Apples (1kg)
$2.73 MX$47.25
$3.08 UYUย 123
-11.36%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$25.92
$2.46 UYUย 97.9
-39.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.96 MX$33.93
$1.57 UYUย 62.5
24.84%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$36.70
$3.67 UYUย 146
-42.23%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 MX$32.30
$2.06 UYUย 82.0
-9.71%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 MX$37.67
$1.86 UYUย 74.1
16.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 MX$18.59
$1.33 UYUย 52.8
-19.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 MX$18.18
$1.67 UYUย 66.3
-37.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19 MX$72.6
$5.00 UYUย 199
-16.20%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.28 MX$178
$9.91 UYUย 394
3.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67 MX$28.87
$2.37 UYUย 94.2
-29.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49 MX$43.12
$2.95 UYUย 117
-15.59%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Durazno
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.54 MX$9.37
$0.71 UYUย 28.34
-23.94%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.27 MX$455
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.10 MX$53.8
$1.62 UYUย 64.5
91.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.46 MX$42.66
$3.61 UYUย 144
-31.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.24 MX$56.1
$12.14 UYUย 483
-73.31%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.26 MX$21.83
$1.84 UYUย 73.1
-31.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2K MX$522.8K
$34.2K UYUย 1.4M
-11.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4K MX$406.3K
$36.3K UYUย 1.4M
-35.44%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Durazno
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.0 MX$1,456
$174 UYUย 6,934
-51.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.21 MX$385
$16.87 UYUย 671
31.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.65 MX$514
$49.93 UYUย 1,987
-40.62%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Durazno
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.6 MX$912
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.34 MX$318
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.95 MX$85.7
$6.74 UYUย 268
-26.56%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Durazno
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$198 MX$3,438
$479 UYUย 19.1K
-58.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,322 MX$92.2K
$8,769 UYUย 348.9K
-39.31%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Durazno
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.95 MX$623
$95.3 UYUย 3,793
-62.28%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.06 MX$694
$47.45 UYUย 1,888
-15.57%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.8 MX$1,365
$114 UYUย 4,544
-31.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5 MX$1,499
$125 UYUย 4,985
-30.95%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Durazno
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$977 MX$16.9K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$471 MX$8,158
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,595 MX$27.6K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,215 MX$21.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,032 MX$69.9K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,579 MX$114.0K
-
-
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Durazno
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$714 MX$12.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
5.68
101.06%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Durazno: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $977 in Playa del Carmen and $0 in Durazno. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42 in Playa del Carmen vs $42 in Durazno for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $321 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 Durazno: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Durazno?
Durazno wins on cost โ€“ living expenses run 30% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Durazno the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen vs Durazno?
You'd need roughly $1,891 in Playa del Carmen and $1,455 in Durazno 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.
How do childcare costs compare in Playa del Carmen and Durazno?
Childcare runs $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $479 in Durazno. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Playa del Carmen vs Durazno?
Dining out is cheaper in Durazno โ€“ a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Playa del Carmen or Durazno?
At $970 in Durazno versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Durazno but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Durazno the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Durazno?
Both work as nomad bases, but Durazno delivers better value โ€“ similar infrastructure at $970 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Durazno hard to pass up.
How safe is Playa del Carmen compared to Durazno?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Durazno are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Durazno gentler on the wallet โ€“ expenses run 30% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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