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: $2,069 in Ames, IA versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,199 in Ames, IA versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,330 in Ames, IA versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Ames, IA is roughly 60% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ames, IA is 54% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.99 $17.99

$11.73 MX$203

53.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.25 $45.25

$41.62 MX$720

8.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.79 $8.79

$10.64 MX$184

-17.39%

Cappuccino

$5.26 $5.26

$3.52 MX$60.9

49.43%

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

$1.98 $1.98

$1.51 MX$26.12

31.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$0.97 MX$16.84

78.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.95 MX$51.0

-1.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 $7.07

$4.45 MX$77.0

58.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.38 MX$23.93

-25.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 $3.68

$1.89 MX$32.72

94.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.64 MX$28.32

85.98%

Eggs

$3.18 $3.18

$2.51 MX$43.34

26.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.64 $9.64

$8.34 MX$144

15.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.86 $11.86

$8.34 MX$144

42.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.56 $14.56

$10.73 MX$186

35.69%

Apples (1kg)

$5.12 $5.12

$2.60 MX$45.04

96.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.46 MX$25.20

-20.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.63 $5.63

$1.90 MX$32.87

196.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.05 $5.05

$2.08 MX$35.91

142.79%

Potato (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$1.78 MX$30.71

115.17%

Onion (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$2.19 MX$37.80

70.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.04 MX$17.99

96.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.08 MX$18.62

77.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.87 $8.87

$4.08 MX$70.6

117.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.01 $16.01

$10.32 MX$178

55.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.71 MX$29.61

3.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 $4.59

$2.58 MX$44.54

77.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 $1.46

$0.51 MX$8.81

186.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.59 $46.59

$26.46 MX$458

76.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.92 $4.92

$3.26 MX$56.4

50.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 $1.38

$2.49 MX$43.09

-44.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.12 $49.12

$3.25 MX$56.2

1411.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.31 MX$22.61

-37.40%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-18.18%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

8.49%

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

$192 $192

$82.9 MX$1,433

132.06%

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

$48.06 $48.06

$22.22 MX$384

116.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.1 $74.1

$29.34 MX$507

152.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.6 $68.6

$51.6 MX$893

32.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.28 $20.28

$18.32 MX$317

10.70%

Cinema Ticket

$14.23 $14.23

$5.07 MX$87.6

180.67%

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

$1,437 $1,437

$201 MX$3,473

615.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.8K $29.8K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

472.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.59 $38.59

$36.92 MX$639

4.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.61 $42.61

$39.79 MX$688

7.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.2 $85.2

$78.5 MX$1,357

8.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$87.1 MX$1,506

31.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$960 $960

$973 MX$16.8K

-1.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 $841

$468 MX$8,090

79.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,930 $1,930

$1,641 MX$28.4K

17.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,632 $1,632

$1,221 MX$21.1K

33.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 $2,418

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-38.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,261 $2,261

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-65.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,631 $3,631

$664 MX$11.5K

446.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.02

11.42

-47.29%

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

Last update for Ames, IA: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $960 in Ames, IA and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ames, IA pays 447% 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: $45.00 in Ames, IA vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $384 vs $249 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 60% 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.

Ames, IA pays 447% more on average, 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: $960 in Ames, IA versus $973 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 76% less than in Ames, IA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,437 in Ames, IA versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,069 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 $1,297 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 60% less than in Ames, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.