🙂A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,011 in Thisted, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,145 in Thisted, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,278 in Thisted, rent included.
🙂Playa del Carmen is about 36% cheaper than Thisted, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Thisted is 46% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Thisted
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.71MX$198
$15.00DKK 96.5
-21.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.59MX$787
$114DKK 731
-58.98%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.65MX$197
$13.84DKK 89.1
-15.82%
Cappuccino
$4.09MX$69.2
$6.32DKK 40.65
-35.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37MX$23.23
$2.30DKK 14.83
-40.43%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83MX$14.09
$3.27DKK 21.07
-74.62%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.35MX$56.7
$8.02DKK 51.6
-58.23%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.91MX$117
$7.25DKK 46.68
-4.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Thisted
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.73MX$29.19
$2.07DKK 13.29
-16.43%
White Bread(500g)
$2.26MX$38.20
$3.80DKK 24.45
-40.53%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.77MX$29.90
$1.51DKK 9.73
17.22%
Eggs
$2.73MX$46.18
$2.87DKK 18.46
-4.88%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.18MX$155
$15.24DKK 98.1
-39.76%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.92MX$151
$6.94DKK 44.68
28.53%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.60MX$213
$24.04DKK 155
-47.59%
Apples(1kg)
$3.02MX$51.1
$2.28DKK 14.71
32.46%
Banana(1kg)
$1.57MX$26.54
$2.29DKK 14.75
-31.44%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.13MX$35.92
$3.33DKK 21.41
-36.04%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.26MX$38.27
$3.86DKK 24.82
-41.45%
Potato(1kg)
$2.00MX$33.87
$2.29DKK 14.72
-12.66%
Onion(1kg)
$2.06MX$34.89
$1.97DKK 12.67
4.57%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.18MX$19.94
$1.85DKK 11.89
-36.22%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20MX$20.35
$0.95DKK 6.09
26.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.63MX$78.3
$9.57DKK 61.6
-51.62%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.69MX$181
$10.85DKK 69.9
-1.47%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62MX$27.37
$1.16DKK 7.45
39.66%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88MX$48.69
$2.16DKK 13.92
33.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Thisted
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.57MX$9.69
$4.07DKK 26.20
-86.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$29.83MX$504
$99.6DKK 641
-70.05%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.45MX$92.1
$7.64DKK 49.18
-28.66%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.70MX$62.6
$1.94DKK 12.51
90.72%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.98MX$101
$53.5DKK 344
-88.82%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.55MX$26.25
$2.51DKK 16.14
-38.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.3KMX$377.3K
$51.6KDKK 332.2K
-56.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.9KMX$438.5K
$50.0KDKK 321.9K
-48.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Thisted
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$89.1MX$1,506
$159DKK 1,024
-43.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.04MX$423
$14.31DKK 92.1
74.98%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.50MX$532
$38.84DKK 250
-18.90%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Thisted
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$67.8MX$1,145
$45.79DKK 295
48.02%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.92MX$489
$25.69DKK 165
12.57%
Cinema Ticket
$5.05MX$85.3
$18.83DKK 121
-73.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Thisted
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$225MX$3,802
$382DKK 2,456
-41.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,222MX$71.4K
$6,679DKK 43.0K
-36.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Thisted
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.44MX$802
$78.5DKK 505
-39.53%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.98MX$760
$31.59DKK 203
42.39%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$82.0MX$1,386
$77.9DKK 501
5.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.1MX$1,556
$139DKK 893
-33.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Thisted
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,069MX$18.1K
$953DKK 6,134
12.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$405MX$6,850
$771DKK 4,960
-47.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,935MX$32.7K
$1,698DKK 10.9K
13.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,301MX$22.0K
$1,311DKK 8,435
-0.72%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,995MX$67.5K
$4,678DKK 30.1K
-14.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,626MX$112.0K
$3,333DKK 21.5K
98.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Thisted
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$749MX$12.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.45
4.44
157.88%
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 Thisted: August 29, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $953 in Thisted. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $114 in Thisted. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $348 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Thisted: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Thisted cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Thisted is pricier by about 55%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,017 in Thisted. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Thisted?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $2,011 in Thisted. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 234% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Thisted?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Thisted at $2,011. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Thisted it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Thisted more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Thisted?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Thisted makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared