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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $640 in Medan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $988 in Medan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,336 in Medan.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 96% more expensive than in Medan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Medan 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$1.88 Rp 33.7K

537.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$10.72 Rp 192.3K

289.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$3.28 Rp 58.9K

227.74%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$1.80 Rp 32.2K

94.44%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.39 Rp 7,050

271.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.27 Rp 4,869

225.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$1.55 Rp 27.9K

90.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$5.24 Rp 94.1K

-13.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

21.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

55.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

89.16%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.53 Rp 27.4K

64.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$9.39 Rp 168.5K

-11.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$3.71 Rp 66.5K

127.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$6.83 Rp 122.5K

56.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$2.32 Rp 41.7K

12.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.00 Rp 17.9K

44.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$1.53 Rp 27.5K

28.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$0.88 Rp 15.8K

137.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

146.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$1.27 Rp 22.7K

70.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.45 Rp 8,160

128.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.49 Rp 8,802

118.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$2.48 Rp 44.5K

65.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$15.90 Rp 285.2K

-36.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.36 Rp 24.4K

23.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$3.17 Rp 56.9K

-20.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.32 Rp 5,826

59.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$9.59 Rp 172.0K

171.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$0.58 Rp 10.4K

456.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.22 Rp 3,955

995.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$6.17 Rp 110.8K

-47.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

60.98%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$28.0K Rp 502.7M

5.98%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$33.9K Rp 608.1M

-30.20%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$83.7 Rp 1.5M

-1.96%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$3.67 Rp 65.9K

525.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$34.25 Rp 614.4K

-12.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$23.20 Rp 416.2K

124.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$7.12 Rp 127.7K

160.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$3.49 Rp 62.7K

42.69%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$123 Rp 2.2M

61.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$10.6K Rp 190.0M

-49.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$66.4 Rp 1.2M

-46.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$42.18 Rp 756.6K

-4.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$115 Rp 2.1M

-31.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$65.5 Rp 1.2M

35.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$196 Rp 3.5M

383.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$100 Rp 1.8M

373.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$530 Rp 9.5M

210.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$232 Rp 4.2M

420.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$1,110 Rp 19.9M

265.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$550 Rp 9.9M

1076.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$213 Rp 3.8M

206.60%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $196 in Medan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 207% 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 $186 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 96% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 207% 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $196 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 172% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $123 in Medan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $640 in Medan versus $1,256 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 96% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.