Cost of Living Comparison Between Abilene, TX and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Abilene, TX and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,147 in Abilene, TX versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,175 in Abilene, TX versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,202 in Abilene, TX versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Abilene, TX is roughly 66% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Abilene, TX is 56% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.79 $17.79

$11.71 MX$198

51.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.2 $59.2

$46.59 MX$788

27.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.85 $8.85

$11.65 MX$197

-24.03%

Cappuccino

$4.99 $4.99

$4.09 MX$69.2

22.00%

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

$2.37 $2.37

$1.37 MX$23.23

72.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$0.83 MX$14.09

121.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.93 $4.93

$3.35 MX$56.7

47.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.96 $8.96

$6.91 MX$117

29.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.73 MX$29.20

-41.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.32 $3.32

$2.26 MX$38.21

46.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.77 MX$29.91

24.29%

Eggs

$3.69 $3.69

$2.73 MX$46.19

35.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.72 $11.72

$9.18 MX$155

27.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.11 $13.11

$8.92 MX$151

46.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.31 $14.31

$12.60 MX$213

13.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.02 MX$51.1

10.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.57 MX$26.55

87.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$2.13 MX$35.93

116.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$2.26 MX$38.28

130.97%

Potato (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$2.00 MX$33.88

111.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.63 $3.63

$2.06 MX$34.90

76.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.18 MX$19.94

105.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.20 MX$20.35

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.64 $7.64

$4.63 MX$78.4

65.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.34 $11.34

$10.69 MX$181

6.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.62 MX$27.38

56.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 $4.03

$2.88 MX$48.70

39.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 $1.72

$0.57 MX$9.69

201.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.5 $53.5

$29.83 MX$504

79.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.55 MX$26.26

-45.81%

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

$19.3K $19.3K

$22.3K MX$377.4K

-13.44%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

-0.09%

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

$164 $164

$89.1 MX$1,507

83.80%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$25.04 MX$423

176.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 $63.4

$31.50 MX$532

101.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.88 $19.88

$67.8 MX$1,146

-70.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$11.93 $11.93

$5.05 MX$85.4

136.24%

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

$1,744 $1,744

$225 MX$3,803

675.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.06 $42.06

$47.44 MX$802

-11.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.97 $28.97

$44.98 MX$760

-35.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$82.0 MX$1,386

22.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$92.1 MX$1,557

9.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 $1,167

$1,069 MX$18.1K

9.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$959 $959

$405 MX$6,852

136.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,845 $1,845

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-4.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,301 MX$22.0K

21.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,705 $1,705

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-57.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,671 $1,671

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-74.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,321 $3,321

$749 MX$12.7K

343.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

11.45

-46.72%

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

Last update for Abilene, TX: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,167 in Abilene, TX and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Abilene, TX pays 344% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $59.0 in Abilene, TX vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $386 vs $277 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

Abilene, TX vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Abilene, TX and Playa del Carmen differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($2,147 vs $1,293 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 344% higher in Abilene, TX, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,167 in Abilene, TX versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $59.0 in Abilene, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,147 per month in Abilene, TX versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,147 in Abilene, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Abilene, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Abilene, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.