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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,695 in Austin, TX versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,184 in Austin, TX versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,674 in Austin, TX versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 108% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 96% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.82 $19.82

$11.71 MX$198

69.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.9 $83.9

$46.59 MX$786

80.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.30 $12.30

$11.65 MX$197

5.58%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$4.09 MX$69.1

33.99%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$1.37 MX$23.20

171.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$0.83 MX$14.07

184.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.76 $7.76

$3.35 MX$56.6

131.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.14 $9.14

$6.91 MX$117

32.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.73 MX$29.15

-34.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.26 MX$38.15

65.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$1.77 MX$29.86

93.79%

Eggs

$4.35 $4.35

$2.73 MX$46.12

59.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.14 $13.14

$9.18 MX$155

43.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.39 $14.39

$8.92 MX$151

61.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.20 $17.20

$12.60 MX$213

36.51%

Apples (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$3.02 MX$51.0

48.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.57 MX$26.51

-8.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$2.13 MX$35.88

119.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$2.26 MX$38.22

119.91%

Potato (1kg)

$3.00 $3.00

$2.00 MX$33.82

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.06 MX$34.85

30.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.18 MX$19.91

56.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.20 MX$20.32

81.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.45 $9.45

$4.63 MX$78.2

104.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.11 $15.11

$10.69 MX$180

41.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.62 MX$27.33

78.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.88 MX$48.63

21.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.64 $1.64

$0.57 MX$9.68

187.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.44 $40.44

$29.83 MX$503

35.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 $2.81

$5.45 MX$91.9

-48.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$3.70 MX$62.5

-57.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.18 $35.18

$5.98 MX$101

488.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.55 MX$26.22

-41.94%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$22.3K MX$376.8K

60.67%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$25.9K MX$438.0K

6.57%

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

$222 $222

$89.1 MX$1,504

149.09%

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

$58.3 $58.3

$25.04 MX$423

132.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 $69.1

$31.50 MX$532

119.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.2 $66.2

$67.8 MX$1,144

-2.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.76 $14.76

$28.92 MX$488

-48.96%

Cinema Ticket

$13.78 $13.78

$5.05 MX$85.2

172.87%

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

$1,526 $1,526

$225 MX$3,797

578.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K $21.2K

$4,222 MX$71.3K

401.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 $54.6

$47.44 MX$801

14.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.01 $44.01

$44.98 MX$759

-2.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 $89.7

$82.0 MX$1,384

9.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 $109

$92.1 MX$1,555

17.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 $1,942

$1,069 MX$18.0K

81.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,258 $1,258

$405 MX$6,842

210.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,762 $3,762

$1,935 MX$32.7K

94.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,592 $2,592

$1,301 MX$22.0K

99.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,403 $7,403

$3,995 MX$67.4K

85.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,203 $3,203

$6,626 MX$111.8K

-51.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,085 $5,085

$749 MX$12.6K

579.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

11.45

-43.76%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,942 in Austin, TX and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 579% 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: $84.0 in Austin, TX vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $417 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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 108% lower than in Austin, TX. 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 579% higher in Austin, 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: $1,942 in Austin, TX versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,695 per month in Austin, TX versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 108% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 36% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,695 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. 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 108% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.