😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,124 in Duzce.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,779 in Duzce.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,434 in Duzce.
😐Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 14% more expensive than Duzce, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen4% lower, Duzce16% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Duzce
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$9.77₺441
22.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$38.03₺1,717
12.41%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
$8.65₺391
22.43%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$3.17₺143
14.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$1.23₺55.5
19.51%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$0.42₺18.84
123.81%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$3.24₺146
-4.63%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
$3.85₺174
15.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Duzce
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$0.93₺42.09
53.76%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$0.67₺30.21
180.60%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$2.31₺104
-29.44%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
$2.37₺107
11.39%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$9.36₺422
-12.29%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$5.80₺262
42.93%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$18.94₺855
-41.39%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
$1.52₺68.5
74.34%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
$2.27₺102
-33.92%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
$1.27₺57.3
56.69%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
$1.53₺69.1
35.95%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
$0.69₺31.20
159.42%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
$0.60₺27.18
263.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
$1.07₺48.52
0.93%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$0.39₺17.73
166.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
$2.13₺96.0
86.38%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
$10.93₺493
-6.68%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
$2.02₺91.1
-14.36%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
$3.12₺141
-19.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Duzce
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
$0.68₺30.70
-23.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
$30.55₺1,379
-11.72%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
$0.86₺38.66
265.12%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
$0.61₺27.34
293.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
$6.40₺289
-51.72%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
$1.17₺52.7
8.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
$43.4K₺2.0M
-28.90%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
$44.0K₺2.0M
-47.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Duzce
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
$85.0₺3,835
-3.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
$11.02₺497
103.72%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$14.13₺638
109.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Duzce
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
$43.55₺1,966
19.10%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
$6.48₺292
-23.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Duzce
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
$614₺27.7K
-67.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
$14.0K₺630.1K
-62.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Duzce
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$57.6₺2,599
-36.89%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$43.53₺1,965
-7.99%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
$106₺4,798
-24.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
$95.6₺4,315
-7.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Duzce
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
$523₺23.6K
84.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
$387₺17.5K
19.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
$904₺40.8K
76.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
$719₺32.4K
68.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$69.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Duzce
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
$1,324₺59.7K
-45.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
20
-42.90%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Last update for Duzce: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $523 in Duzce. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Duzce pays 84% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $38.00 in Duzce for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $233 per month, with Duzce 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 Duzce: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Playa del Carmen and Duzce?
Playa del Carmen and Duzce differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($1,287 vs $1,124 including rent). Duzce is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Duzce earns 84% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Playa del Carmen and Duzce?
Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $523 in Duzce. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Playa del Carmen and Duzce?
Childcare runs $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $614 in Duzce. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,124 in Duzce versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Duzce but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Duzce the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Duzce?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Playa del Carmen or Duzce safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Duzce are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Playa del Carmen or Duzce?
Expats usually find Duzce gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared