Cost of Living Comparison Between Anderson, SC and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Anderson, SC and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,278 in Anderson, SC versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,450 in Anderson, SC versus $2,177 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,623 in Anderson, SC versus $3,095 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Anderson, SC is roughly 81% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Anderson, SC is 70% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 $15.78

$11.95 MX$208

32.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.2 $83.2

$41.94 MX$730

98.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.82 $11.82

$10.42 MX$181

13.44%

Cappuccino

$4.91 $4.91

$3.51 MX$61.2

39.89%

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

$2.68 $2.68

$1.52 MX$26.39

76.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$0.91 MX$15.84

151.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.11 $4.11

$3.04 MX$52.9

35.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 $5.06

$4.37 MX$76.1

15.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.42 MX$24.73

-30.99%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$1.83 MX$31.87

107.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.65 $5.65

$1.63 MX$28.45

246.63%

Eggs

$4.24 $4.24

$2.54 MX$44.20

66.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.79 $11.79

$8.57 MX$149

37.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.95 $15.95

$8.49 MX$148

87.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.17 $17.17

$10.80 MX$188

58.98%

Apples (1kg)

$7.03 $7.03

$2.75 MX$47.94

155.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.44 MX$25.00

8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$1.89 MX$32.83

191.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.00 $6.00

$2.17 MX$37.77

176.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.78 MX$30.97

76.40%

Onion (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.22 MX$38.71

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.07 MX$18.60

128.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.08 MX$18.79

155.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.71 $7.71

$4.15 MX$72.2

85.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.54 $13.54

$10.45 MX$182

29.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.74 MX$30.34

72.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 $3.77

$2.58 MX$44.92

46.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.37 $4.37

$0.51 MX$8.94

756.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.2 $50.2

$25.94 MX$451

93.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.21 MX$55.9

7.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 $0.79

$2.50 MX$43.55

-68.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.18 $10.18

$3.19 MX$55.4

219.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.26 MX$21.87

-35.71%

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

$28.8K $28.8K

$29.7K MX$516.6K

-3.01%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$23.7K MX$412.1K

12.24%

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

$195 $195

$82.0 MX$1,427

137.41%

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

$58.6 $58.6

$22.73 MX$395

157.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.8 $62.8

$29.42 MX$512

113.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.78 $39.78

$52.2 MX$908

-23.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.45 $22.45

$18.45 MX$321

21.68%

Cinema Ticket

$12.15 $12.15

$4.93 MX$85.9

146.45%

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

$1,248 $1,248

$202 MX$3,511

518.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K $11.8K

$5,217 MX$90.8K

125.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.35 $36.35

$35.93 MX$625

1.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.84 $29.84

$40.33 MX$702

-26.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.4 $62.4

$79.9 MX$1,390

-21.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.4 $63.4

$89.3 MX$1,554

-28.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,150 $1,150

$948 MX$16.5K

21.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,036 $1,036

$465 MX$8,097

122.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,793 $1,793

$1,630 MX$28.4K

10.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,784 $1,784

$1,193 MX$20.8K

49.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,941 $2,941

$3,933 MX$68.4K

-25.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,407 $2,407

$6,428 MX$111.9K

-62.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,225 $3,225

$658 MX$11.5K

389.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

11.42

-42.73%

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

Last update for Anderson, SC: July 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,150 in Anderson, SC and $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Anderson, SC pays 390% 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: $83.0 in Anderson, SC vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $459 vs $252 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

Anderson, SC vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 81% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 390% higher in Anderson, SC, 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: $1,150 in Anderson, SC versus $948 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 94% less than in Anderson, SC. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,248 in Anderson, SC versus $202 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,278 in Anderson, SC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Anderson, SC. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Anderson, SC, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 81% less than in Anderson, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.