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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $651 in Medan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $982 in Medan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,313 in Medan.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 99% more expensive than Medan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Medan 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$1.83 Rp 32.6K

540.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$10.63 Rp 189.9K

291.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.22 Rp 57.4K

230.43%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.80 Rp 32.1K

95.56%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.40 Rp 7,122

277.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.25 Rp 4,419

288.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.58 Rp 28.1K

86.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$5.13 Rp 91.7K

-13.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.18 Rp 21.0K

16.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

61.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

88.51%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

58.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.78 Rp 174.6K

-14.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.88 Rp 69.3K

114.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$6.86 Rp 122.5K

56.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.29 Rp 41.0K

13.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.00 Rp 17.8K

46.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.47 Rp 26.3K

29.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.94 Rp 16.8K

121.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.74 Rp 13.2K

140.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.29 Rp 23.1K

69.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.46 Rp 8,163

126.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.46 Rp 8,201

134.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.48 Rp 44.2K

64.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$15.75 Rp 281.3K

-34.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.35 Rp 24.1K

26.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.17 Rp 56.6K

-18.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.30 Rp 5,318

70.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$9.86 Rp 176.1K

168.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.52 Rp 9,345

526.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.22 Rp 3,931

1031.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$6.27 Rp 111.9K

-48.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

59.76%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$28.1K Rp 501.4M

7.85%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$33.8K Rp 604.3M

-30.76%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$83.4 Rp 1.5M

-0.64%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$3.64 Rp 65.1K

510.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$33.53 Rp 598.8K

-12.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$23.40 Rp 417.8K

120.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$7.27 Rp 129.8K

151.99%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$3.58 Rp 63.9K

41.62%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$126 Rp 2.3M

59.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$10.6K Rp 188.8M

-50.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$66.3 Rp 1.2M

-44.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$42.49 Rp 758.9K

-6.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$116 Rp 2.1M

-32.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$65.6 Rp 1.2M

32.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$191 Rp 3.4M

408.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

374.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$544 Rp 9.7M

201.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$231 Rp 4.1M

429.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,176 Rp 21.0M

235.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$567 Rp 10.1M

1046.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$215 Rp 3.8M

208.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.25

23.46%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $191 in Medan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 209% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $11.00 in Medan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $187 per month, with Medan 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 Medan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 99% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 209% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $191 in Medan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medan runs roughly 168% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $126 in Medan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $651 in Medan versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medan but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Medan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Medan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 99% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.