How Much Does Scuba Diving Cost in Playa del Carmen? 2026 Prices

Short answer: a two tank reef dive in Playa del Carmen costs 2,200 MXN, a cenote day with two cavern dives 3,000 to 3,800 MXN, the Cozumel day trip 3,400 MXN and the bull shark dives 2,800 or 4,200 MXN in season. The Open Water course is 9,000 MXN with everything included. Those are our 2026 prices at Xibalba Divers MX, per diver, in Mexican pesos.

This guide puts every price for scuba diving in Playa del Carmen in one place: what each dive costs, what the price includes, the small extras that are not in the headline number, and what a few typical dive trips add up to. Where a cost depends on the route or the day, we say so.

Scuba diving prices in Playa del Carmen at a glance

Per dive, that works out at 1,100 MXN on the reef and 1,500 to 1,900 MXN in the cenotes, where the price also covers the drive, the equipment and a guide for every four divers.

Reef dives: 2,200 MXN for a two tank morning

Our fun dives in Playa del Carmen are two tank reef mornings on the home reefs, ten minutes by boat from the beach. The price covers two guided dives on two different reefs, tanks, weights, the boat and drinking water, in a small group with Humann. The sites are chosen each morning for the conditions and the group, from turtle drifts at 10 metres to walls and the Mama Viña wreck at around 30 metres for Advanced divers.

Not in the price: full rental equipment, 500 MXN per day; Nitrox, 100 MXN extra per dive for certified Nitrox divers; and getting to our base in Playacar. There is no extra marine park fee on the reef mornings. Morning dives start at 08:00 and afternoon dives at 12:00.

Cenote diving: 3,000 to 3,800 MXN a route

A cenote day is two guided cavern dives with a certified cenote guide and no more than four divers per guide. The price includes transport with pickup in Playacar and downtown Playa del Carmen, tanks, weights and full equipment. Routes further from Playa and the deep routes that need Advanced Open Water cost more. All nine are on our cenote diving in Playa del Carmen page.

Not in the price: the cenote entrance fee, which we confirm when you book, and the park’s camera fee of 300 to 500 MXN, paid on site in cash if you bring a camera. The water is 24 to 26°C all year, and wetsuits are part of the equipment.

Bull shark dives: 2,800 or 4,200 MXN, November to February

From November to February, bull sharks gather at Shark Point, a few hundred metres off the beach, at about 24 metres on the sand. There are two ways to dive with them on our bull shark dives:

• Observation, 2,800 MXN: no bait in the water. The shark dive, then a second dive on a shallow reef at 10 to 12 metres, with one Nitrox tank included for certified Nitrox divers. Our recommendation for most divers.
• Feeding, 4,200 MXN: one dive with a trained professional feeder, closer and more intense, with the divers kneeling in a line behind safety divers. Nitrox on this dive is 100 MXN extra.

Both carry a marine park fee of about 100 MXN per diver on top of the price, and full rental equipment is 500 MXN per day. Advanced Open Water is recommended. Season dates vary a little each year; our bull shark diving guide explains the season and what the dive is like.

Cozumel from Playa del Carmen: 3,400 MXN

The Cozumel day trip meets at Coco Beach in Playa del Carmen at 08:00. The speedboat crosses the channel straight to the reefs of the Cozumel marine park for two drift dives, with brunch on the boat, and you are back around 12:30. The 3,400 MXN covers the speedboat, both guided dives, tanks, weights and brunch, and there is no extra marine park fee. Rental equipment is 500 MXN per day and Nitrox 100 MXN per dive.

Because the boat leaves from Playa, there is no ferry to queue for and no need to move hotels. If you are deciding where to base yourself, read Cozumel or Playa del Carmen for diving.

Guided cave diving: 5,000 or 7,000 MXN

For full cave certified divers, guided cave dives are 5,000 MXN for one set of doubles and 7,000 MXN for two. Each plan is built around your experience, your interests and the conditions on the day. Not cave certified? The cenote routes above are cavern dives inside the daylight zone and need only a recreational certification.

Dive course prices in Playa del Carmen

All our diving courses in Playa del Carmen are taught in small groups by Humann, through PADI or SDI, with no hidden costs.

The Open Water price is complete. On Advanced Open Water, the cavern and shark electives are charged at the cenote and shark dive prices; for Rescue Diver you also need a first aid and CPR course if you do not have a recent one, and Divemaster candidates buy the learning materials separately. The junior Open Water starts at age 10. Our guide on getting scuba certified in Playa del Carmen walks through the course days.

Extra costs to plan for

• Rental equipment: 500 MXN per day on reef, shark and Cozumel days. Cenote days and courses already include it.
• Nitrox: 100 MXN per dive for certified Nitrox divers, except the tank included on the shark observation trip.
• Marine park fee: about 100 MXN per diver on the shark dives only.
• Cenote fees: the entrance fee, confirmed when you book, and a camera fee of 300 to 500 MXN paid on site if you bring one.
• Getting to the start: reef and shark mornings start at our base in Playacar, the Cozumel trip at Coco Beach. Cenote days include pickup in Playacar and downtown Playa del Carmen.

What a dive trip costs: three sample budgets

Real plans for real trips, with the dive prices above. The last column adds rental equipment on the boat days for divers without their own gear.

Add the cenote entrance fees, confirmed when you book. For the best months for each of these plans, see our month by month guide.

How to keep the cost down

• Bring your own gear and you save 500 MXN on every boat day.
• Start with the nearest cenote. Chac Mool and Kukulkan is twenty minutes away and the lowest priced route, at 3,000 MXN.
• Choose shark observation over feeding: two dives with Nitrox for 2,800 MXN, against one dive for 4,200 MXN.
• Dive Cozumel from Playa instead of moving to the island: no ferry, no second hotel.
• Take Advanced Open Water if you plan deep sites. The Advanced course includes six ocean dives, so it doubles as three days of diving, and it opens El Pit, Angelita, Zapote and the wreck.

How booking works

Send your dates, your certification level and what you would like to dive through the quick booking form or on WhatsApp. Humann replies the same day with the plan, the site and the price; nothing is booked until you agree. Cancel at least 48 hours ahead for a full refund; a no show loses the deposit. If the weather cancels a dive, you choose another day or a refund. Our Playa del Carmen diving tips cover what to book early and what can wait.

Scuba diving prices: questions divers ask

How much does a two tank dive cost in Playa del Carmen?

With us, 2,200 MXN per diver for a reef morning: two guided dives on two different reefs, tanks, weights, the boat and drinking water, with no extra marine park fee. Full rental equipment is 500 MXN per day if you need it.

How much is cenote diving from Playa del Carmen?

3,000 to 3,800 MXN for two guided cavern dives, depending on the route, with transport from Playa del Carmen, tanks, weights and equipment included. The cenote entrance fee is confirmed when you book, and a camera fee of 300 to 500 MXN is paid on site if you bring a camera.

Are marine park fees included?

On the reef mornings and the Cozumel trip there is no extra fee to pay. The bull shark dives carry a marine park fee of about 100 MXN per diver on top of the price.

Is equipment included in the price?

Courses and cenote days include full equipment. Reef mornings, shark dives and the Cozumel trip include tanks and weights, and full rental equipment is 500 MXN per day. Your own gear is always welcome.

How much does it cost to get certified in Playa del Carmen?

The Open Water course is 9,000 MXN over three days with everything included: materials, pool sessions, four ocean dives, equipment and the certification fee. Advanced Open Water and Rescue Diver are 9,000 MXN each, and Divemaster is 25,750 MXN.

What happens if I cancel?

Cancel at least 48 hours ahead and you get a full refund; a no show loses the deposit. If the weather cancels a dive, you choose another day or a refund.