Cost of Living Comparison Between The Dalles, OR and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between The Dalles, OR and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,588 per month in The Dalles, OR vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,857 per month in The Dalles, OR vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,126 per month in The Dalles, OR vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

The Dalles, OR costs about 101% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The Dalles, OR sits 93% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.79 $27.79

$11.94 MX$208

132.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 $69.8

$42.75 MX$743

63.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$10.59 MX$184

13.98%

Cappuccino

$6.14 $6.14

$3.62 MX$63.0

69.61%

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

$3.29 $3.29

$1.47 MX$25.51

123.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$0.94 MX$16.39

184.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.15 $7.15

$3.09 MX$53.8

131.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 $5.85

$4.46 MX$77.5

31.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.43 MX$24.77

-29.37%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 $3.30

$1.88 MX$32.75

75.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$1.63 MX$28.31

164.42%

Eggs

$3.06 $3.06

$2.64 MX$45.94

15.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.56 $17.56

$8.21 MX$143

113.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.33 $10.33

$8.29 MX$144

24.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 $10.85

$11.10 MX$193

-2.25%

Apples (1kg)

$6.55 $6.55

$2.65 MX$46.08

147.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.50 MX$26.08

8.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$1.99 MX$34.55

115.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$2.08 MX$36.09

108.17%

Potato (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.79 MX$31.08

68.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.18 MX$37.83

21.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.08 MX$18.71

126.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.04 MX$18.02

95.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.38 $12.38

$3.97 MX$69.0

211.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.86 $14.86

$10.20 MX$177

45.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.73 MX$30.01

12.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 $4.63

$2.50 MX$43.41

85.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.52 MX$9.01

275.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.28 $44.28

$26.97 MX$469

64.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 $5.13

$3.14 MX$54.6

63.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 $1.23

$2.40 MX$41.75

-48.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$51.5 $51.5

$3.09 MX$53.6

1566.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.27 MX$22.13

-7.87%

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

$35.6K $35.6K

$30.9K MX$536.7K

15.37%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$23.3K MX$405.2K

10.74%

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

$121 $121

$82.0 MX$1,425

47.79%

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

$61.6 $61.6

$22.45 MX$390

174.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$29.66 MX$515

138.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.58 $43.58

$51.9 MX$901

-15.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$324

Cinema Ticket

$11.22 $11.22

$4.97 MX$86.4

125.75%

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

$994 $994

$198 MX$3,438

402.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$5,273 MX$91.6K

344.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.54 $39.54

$36.34 MX$632

8.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.62 $34.62

$40.05 MX$696

-13.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.1 $60.1

$79.9 MX$1,388

-24.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.7 $80.7

$88.9 MX$1,545

-9.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 $1,630

$963 MX$16.7K

69.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 $1,367

$465 MX$8,077

194.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,625 $2,625

$1,596 MX$27.7K

64.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,261 $2,261

$1,209 MX$21.0K

87.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,643 $2,643

$3,942 MX$68.5K

-32.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 $2,290

$6,448 MX$112.1K

-64.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.66

11.42

-41.68%

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

Last update for The Dalles, OR: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,630 in The Dalles, OR versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $70 in The Dalles, OR versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $388 vs $251 – 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

The Dalles, OR vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – The Dalles, OR is pricier by about 101%, 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 $3,882 per month in The Dalles, OR and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,588 in The Dalles, OR and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 64% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in The Dalles, OR at $2,588. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in The Dalles, OR it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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