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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $513 in Medea, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $839 in Medea, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,165 in Medea, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 151% more than Medea, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Medea are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Medea 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$2.06 DZD 272

479.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$24.00 DZD 3,180

78.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$3.98 DZD 527

166.08%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$0.35 DZD 45.74

934.29%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.46 DZD 60.7

219.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.21 DZD 28.14

347.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.90 DZD 252

62.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.40 DZD 318

85.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.05 DZD 139

36.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.07 DZD 9.06

2585.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.13 DZD 149

44.25%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.53 DZD 202

72.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$8.97 DZD 1,189

-8.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.88 DZD 646

69.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$16.27 DZD 2,156

-31.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.23 DZD 428

-17.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.71 DZD 359

-44.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.78 DZD 236

11.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.56 DZD 74.7

271.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.64 DZD 84.8

179.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.49 DZD 64.9

344.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.68 DZD 90.7

58.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.30 DZD 40.26

246.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.17 DZD 287

82.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$7.11 DZD 942

43.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.29 DZD 171

34.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.11 DZD 279

18.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.25 DZD 33.24

108.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$17.54 DZD 2,324

53.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.66 DZD 87.7

375.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.33 DZD 44.07

627.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$5.48 DZD 726

-43.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.37 DZD 48.64

243.24%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$20.2K DZD 2.7M

52.71%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$33.7K DZD 4.5M

-30.90%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$18.72 DZD 2,481

338.09%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$7.87 DZD 1,043

185.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$17.97 DZD 2,381

65.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$23.42 DZD 3,103

121.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$1.98 DZD 262

842.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$3.56 DZD 472

39.61%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$39.87 DZD 5,283

396.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$3,649 DZD 483.5K

44.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$19.83 DZD 2,628

83.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$32.65 DZD 4,326

22.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$32.64 DZD 4,324

144.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$56.7 DZD 7,506

56.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$196 DZD 26.0K

391.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$114 DZD 15.1K

307.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$276 DZD 36.6K

478.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$182 DZD 24.1K

564.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$760 DZD 100.7K

418.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$408 DZD 54.0K

1480.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$326 DZD 43.2K

121.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

128.40%

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 Medea: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $196 in Medea. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 121% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $24.00 in Medea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $198 – making Medea the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Medea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 151%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $770 in Medea. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medea, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $24.00 in Medea. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $513 in Medea. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medea, where all-in costs run around $513, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Medea it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medea – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medea. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.