Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Santo Domingo Este Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Santo Domingo Este

😐 Solo nomad: Playa del Carmen is 27.5% more expensive than Santo Domingo Este without rent, and 59.4% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Playa del Carmen is 10.2% more expensive than Santo Domingo Este without rent, and 56.6% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Santo Domingo Este
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.61 MX$201
$8.25 DOP 493
40.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75 MX$739
$43.29 DOP 2,586
-1.25%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.60 MX$183
$7.33 DOP 438
44.61%
Cappuccino
$3.59 MX$62.0
$1.28 DOP 76.2
180.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45 MX$25.10
$1.03 DOP 61.5
40.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 MX$15.52
$0.54 DOP 31.97
66.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.03 MX$52.4
$2.50 DOP 150
21.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.56 MX$78.8
$3.32 DOP 198
37.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Santo Domingo Este
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 MX$25.10
$1.29 DOP 76.9
12.40%
White Bread (500g)
$1.83 MX$31.59
$1.74 DOP 104
5.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 MX$27.80
$1.50 DOP 89.7
7.33%
Eggs
$2.54 MX$43.87
$1.69 DOP 101
50.30%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.54 MX$148
$7.04 DOP 421
21.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.47 MX$146
$3.47 DOP 207
144.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.86 MX$188
$6.69 DOP 399
62.33%
Apples (1kg)
$2.73 MX$47.18
$3.29 DOP 197
-17.02%
Banana (1kg)
$1.49 MX$25.80
$0.75 DOP 44.71
98.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.94 MX$33.59
$1.91 DOP 114
1.57%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.16 MX$37.42
$1.34 DOP 80.2
61.19%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 MX$31.92
$0.86 DOP 51.7
115.12%
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 MX$37.84
$1.74 DOP 104
25.86%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 MX$18.54
$1.08 DOP 64.5
-0.93%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 MX$18.73
$0.93 DOP 55.4
16.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.06 MX$70.2
$5.64 DOP 337
-28.01%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.46 MX$181
$11.57 DOP 691
-9.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.65 MX$28.59
$1.66 DOP 99.1
-0.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.55 MX$44.06
$2.32 DOP 139
9.91%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Santo Domingo Este
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.56 MX$9.61
$0.82 DOP 48.71
-31.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.20 MX$453
$34.05 DOP 2,034
-23.05%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 MX$54.3
$3.46 DOP 207
-9.25%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.37 MX$41.00
$2.19 DOP 131
8.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.24 MX$56.0
$5.98 DOP 357
-45.82%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 MX$22.72
$1.28 DOP 76.7
2.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.5K MX$528.0K
$26.4K DOP 1.6M
15.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.8K MX$411.9K
$31.4K DOP 1.9M
-24.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Santo Domingo Este
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.1 MX$1,438
$39.57 DOP 2,364
110.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.15 MX$383
$17.81 DOP 1,064
24.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.37 MX$508
$35.54 DOP 2,123
-17.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Santo Domingo Este
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.2 MX$885
$27.83 DOP 1,662
83.94%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.69 MX$323
$8.48 DOP 506
120.40%
Cinema Ticket
$4.89 MX$84.5
$5.88 DOP 352
-16.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Santo Domingo Este
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$199 MX$3,435
$265 DOP 15.8K
-24.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,207 MX$90.0K
$5,969 DOP 356.6K
-12.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Santo Domingo Este
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.93 MX$621
$42.00 DOP 2,509
-14.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.39 MX$681
$51.3 DOP 3,066
-23.23%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.3 MX$1,388
$66.0 DOP 3,944
21.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.6 MX$1,514
$60.4 DOP 3,609
44.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Santo Domingo Este
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$963 MX$16.7K
$459 DOP 27.4K
110.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$482 MX$8,336
$169 DOP 10.1K
185.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,645 MX$28.4K
$1,089 DOP 65.1K
51.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,192 MX$20.6K
$477 DOP 28.5K
149.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,957 MX$68.4K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,513 MX$112.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Santo Domingo Este
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$726 MX$12.6K
$612 DOP 36.6K
18.71%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
12.9
-11.47%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Last update for Santo Domingo Este: April 12, 2026

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

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