Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Abington, MA and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $3,007 in Abington, MA, rent and utilities included – about $21,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Abington, MA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,007
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Abington, MA and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Abington, MA and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,007 in Abington, MA versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Abington, MA $3,007
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,073 in Abington, MA versus $2,102 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Abington, MA $4,073
  • Playa del Carmen $2,102

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,140 in Abington, MA versus $3,000 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Abington, MA $5,140
  • Playa del Carmen $3,000

Living in Abington, MA is roughly 150% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Abington, MA is 122% above, Playa del Carmen is 11% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Abington, MA
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.21 $18.21
$10.86 MX$201
67.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$87.3 $87.3
$44.21 MX$817
97.40%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.45 $13.45
$11.76 MX$217
14.37%
Cappuccino
$4.88 $4.88
$3.68 MX$68.0
32.61%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31 $2.31
$1.34 MX$24.79
72.39%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31 $2.31
$0.82 MX$15.24
181.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.98 $4.98
$3.06 MX$56.6
62.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.99 $6.99
$4.94 MX$91.2
41.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Abington, MA
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.04 $1.04
$1.47 MX$27.17
-29.25%
White Bread (500g)
$4.01 $4.01
$2.22 MX$40.95
80.63%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.23 $5.23
$1.48 MX$27.32
253.38%
Eggs
$3.69 $3.69
$2.49 MX$45.99
48.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.11 $11.11
$7.52 MX$139
47.74%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.41 $14.41
$7.96 MX$147
81.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.90 $17.90
$12.57 MX$232
42.40%
Apples (1kg)
$4.36 $4.36
$2.78 MX$51.3
56.83%
Banana (1kg)
$1.74 $1.74
$1.43 MX$26.37
21.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.79 $4.79
$2.62 MX$48.37
82.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.55 $5.55
$2.14 MX$39.49
159.35%
Potato (1kg)
$3.16 $3.16
$2.02 MX$37.38
56.44%
Onion (1kg)
$3.12 $3.12
$1.99 MX$36.74
56.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.99 $2.99
$1.14 MX$21.01
162.28%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$3.89 $3.89
$1.20 MX$22.18
224.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.95 $13.95
$4.26 MX$78.7
227.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.71 $13.71
$10.02 MX$185
36.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.16 $2.16
$1.54 MX$28.41
40.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.28 $4.28
$2.66 MX$49.17
60.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Abington, MA
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.53 MX$9.73
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$27.51 MX$508
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$4.90 MX$90.6
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$3.43 MX$63.5
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$5.38 MX$99.4
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.08 $1.08
$1.45 MX$26.76
-25.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K $27.8K
$21.2K MX$391.0K
31.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K $26.6K
$23.0K MX$425.3K
15.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Abington, MA
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$302 $302
$85.4 MX$1,577
254.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$101 $101
$23.46 MX$434
328.43%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$84.4 $84.4
$28.43 MX$525
196.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Abington, MA
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.39 $25.39
$62.2 MX$1,149
-59.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$28.68 MX$530
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.98 $14.98
$5.10 MX$94.3
193.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Abington, MA
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,848 $1,848
$201 MX$3,715
818.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$29.5K $29.5K
$3,947 MX$72.9K
648.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Abington, MA
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.5 $56.5
$44.39 MX$820
27.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.63 $38.63
$41.35 MX$764
-6.58%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.7 $78.7
$72.7 MX$1,344
8.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.8 $98.8
$89.6 MX$1,656
10.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Abington, MA
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,911 $1,911
$979 MX$18.1K
95.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,594 $1,594
$373 MX$6,887
327.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,542 $2,542
$1,681 MX$31.1K
51.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,115 $2,115
$1,095 MX$20.2K
93.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,949 MX$73.0K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,137 MX$113.4K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Abington, MA
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,662 $5,662
$738 MX$13.6K
667.76%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.53
11.45
-42.97%

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

Last update for Abington, MA: October 18, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Abington, MA
$1.6K
Playa del Carmen
$373 76.6% $1.2K
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Abington, MA
$487
Playa del Carmen
$137 71.8% $350
Groceries & Markets
Abington, MA
$445
Playa del Carmen
$258 42% $187
Eating Out
Abington, MA
$302
Playa del Carmen
$200 33.7% $102
Clothing & Footwear
Abington, MA
$123
Playa del Carmen
$112 9% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Abington, MA
$55
Playa del Carmen
$72 30.8% $17
Getting Around
Abington, MA
- *
Playa del Carmen
$52

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,911 in Abington, MA and $979 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Abington, MA pays 668% 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: $87.0 in Abington, MA vs $44.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $445 vs $258 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Abington, MA
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
06:52 6:52 AM
05:52 5:52 AM
1 h behind Abington, MA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
16,378
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Abington, MA Playa del Carmen 2,830 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Abington, MA
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Abington, MA vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Abington, MA or Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 150% lower than in Abington, MA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Abington, MA or in Playa del Carmen?
Average pay runs 668% higher in Abington, MA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Abington, MA compared to Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,911 in Abington, MA versus $979 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Abington, MA and in Playa del Carmen?
Childcare runs $1,848 in Abington, MA versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Abington, MA and in Playa del Carmen?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $87.0 in Abington, MA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Abington, MA or in Playa del Carmen?
At $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,007 in Abington, MA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Abington, MA. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Abington, MA or Playa del Carmen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,204 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
How safe is Abington, MA compared to Playa del Carmen?
Safety-wise, Abington, MA and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 150% less than in Abington, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Abington, MA vs other spots: cost of living compared

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