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: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $607 in Medan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $933 in Medan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,260 in Medan.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 113% more expensive than in Medan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Medan 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$199

$1.72 Rp 30.6K

580.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$791

$8.73 Rp 155.1K

433.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$198

$2.96 Rp 52.5K

293.58%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.5

$1.55 Rp 27.6K

163.87%

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

$1.37 MX$23.34

$0.34 Rp 6,114

302.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.16

$0.25 Rp 4,458

232.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.9

$1.73 Rp 30.7K

93.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$3.58 Rp 63.6K

93.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.33

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

60.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.39

$1.14 Rp 20.2K

98.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.05

$0.83 Rp 14.8K

113.25%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.41

$1.33 Rp 23.6K

105.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$156

$7.91 Rp 140.5K

16.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$3.53 Rp 62.7K

152.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$214

$6.44 Rp 114.4K

95.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.3

$2.43 Rp 43.2K

24.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.68

$1.05 Rp 18.7K

49.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.10

$1.48 Rp 26.4K

43.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.46

$0.96 Rp 17.0K

135.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.04

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

129.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.06

$1.74 Rp 30.9K

18.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$20.04

$0.41 Rp 7,334

187.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.45

$0.44 Rp 7,756

172.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.7

$3.02 Rp 53.7K

53.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$182

$16.41 Rp 291.5K

-34.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.50

$1.92 Rp 34.2K

-15.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.93

$3.04 Rp 54.0K

-5.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.74

$0.27 Rp 4,759

111.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$507

$6.07 Rp 107.9K

391.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.5

$0.53 Rp 9,394

928.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.9

$0.20 Rp 3,602

1750.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$102

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.38

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

101.30%

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

$22.3K MX$379.2K

$24.9K Rp 443.1M

-10.49%

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

$25.9K MX$440.7K

$31.6K Rp 561.0M

-17.83%

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

$89.1 MX$1,514

$86.5 Rp 1.5M

3.09%

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

$25.04 MX$425

$3.29 Rp 58.5K

661.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$535

$23.34 Rp 414.6K

34.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,151

$17.06 Rp 303.1K

297.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

$8.69 Rp 154.3K

232.80%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.8

$3.43 Rp 61.0K

47.23%

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

$225 MX$3,820

$114 Rp 2.0M

96.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.7K

$1,720 Rp 30.6M

145.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$806

$56.4 Rp 1.0M

-15.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$764

$39.16 Rp 695.6K

14.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,392

$105 Rp 1.9M

-22.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,564

$115 Rp 2.0M

-19.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.2K

$177 Rp 3.1M

503.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,884

$88.9 Rp 1.6M

356.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.9K

$497 Rp 8.8M

289.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.1K

$211 Rp 3.8M

515.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.9K

$1,148 Rp 20.4M

248.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.5K

$571 Rp 10.1M

1060.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$214 Rp 3.8M

249.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

9.25

23.78%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medan: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $177 in Medan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 250% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $9.00 in Medan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $182 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 113% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 250% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $177 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 391% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $225 in Playa del Carmen versus $114 in Medan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $607 in Medan versus $1,293 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 113% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.