Cost of Living Comparison Between Ames, IA and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Ames, IA and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,154 in Ames, IA versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,214 in Ames, IA versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,273 in Ames, IA versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Ames, IA is roughly 67% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ames, IA is 57% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.20 $18.20

$11.71 MX$199

55.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.1 $52.1

$46.59 MX$791

11.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$11.65 MX$198

3.61%

Cappuccino

$5.07 $5.07

$4.09 MX$69.5

23.96%

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

$2.65 $2.65

$1.37 MX$23.34

93.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$0.83 MX$14.16

169.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.10 $4.10

$3.35 MX$56.9

22.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 $7.05

$6.91 MX$117

2.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.73 MX$29.33

-47.98%

White Bread (500g)

$3.67 $3.67

$2.26 MX$38.39

62.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$1.77 MX$30.05

89.83%

Eggs

$3.34 $3.34

$2.73 MX$46.41

22.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 $10.16

$9.18 MX$156

10.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.39 $14.39

$8.92 MX$151

61.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.47 $18.47

$12.60 MX$214

46.59%

Apples (1kg)

$5.89 $5.89

$3.02 MX$51.3

95.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.57 MX$26.68

16.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.45 $6.45

$2.13 MX$36.10

202.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.02 $5.02

$2.26 MX$38.46

122.12%

Potato (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$2.00 MX$34.04

116.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.06 MX$35.06

84.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.18 MX$20.04

98.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.20 MX$20.45

112.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.14 $13.14

$4.63 MX$78.7

183.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.85 $15.85

$10.69 MX$182

48.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.62 MX$27.50

70.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.05 $5.05

$2.88 MX$48.93

75.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 $1.01

$0.57 MX$9.74

77.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.29 $35.29

$29.83 MX$507

18.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 $5.03

$5.45 MX$92.5

-7.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 $1.67

$3.70 MX$62.9

-54.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.03 $24.03

$5.98 MX$102

301.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.55 MX$26.38

-41.29%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

13.29%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

-3.45%

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

$160 $160

$89.1 MX$1,514

79.76%

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

$54.9 $54.9

$25.04 MX$425

119.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.5 $68.5

$31.50 MX$535

117.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.9 $68.9

$67.8 MX$1,151

1.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.76 $19.76

$28.92 MX$491

-31.67%

Cinema Ticket

$15.77 $15.77

$5.05 MX$85.8

212.28%

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

$1,376 $1,376

$225 MX$3,820

511.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.0K $36.0K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

751.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 $58.7

$47.44 MX$806

23.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.80 $44.80

$44.98 MX$764

-0.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 $89.9

$82.0 MX$1,392

9.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$92.1 MX$1,564

15.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,032 $1,032

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-3.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$823 $823

$405 MX$6,884

103.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,806 $1,806

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-6.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,513 $1,513

$1,301 MX$22.1K

16.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,403 $2,403

$3,995 MX$67.9K

-39.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,224 $2,224

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-66.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,636 $3,636

$749 MX$12.7K

385.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.02

11.45

-47.42%

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

Last update for Ames, IA: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,032 in Ames, IA and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ames, IA pays 386% 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: $52.0 in Ames, IA vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $438 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

Ames, IA vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 67% lower than in Ames, IA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 386% higher in Ames, IA, 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: $1,032 in Ames, IA versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 18% less than in Ames, IA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,376 in Ames, IA versus $225 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,154 in Ames, IA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Ames, IA. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,293 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Ames, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.