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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,455 in Beaufort, SC versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,584 in Beaufort, SC versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,712 in Beaufort, SC versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Beaufort, SC is roughly 89% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Beaufort, SC is 83% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.61 $18.61

$11.73 MX$205

58.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.3 $86.3

$41.62 MX$727

107.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.87 $11.87

$10.64 MX$186

11.56%

Cappuccino

$4.90 $4.90

$3.52 MX$61.5

39.20%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$1.51 MX$26.37

64.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.97 MX$17.00

101.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.68 $3.68

$2.95 MX$51.5

24.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 $4.04

$4.45 MX$77.8

-9.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.38 MX$24.16

-22.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 $3.34

$1.89 MX$33.04

76.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.64 MX$28.59

85.98%

Eggs

$4.08 $4.08

$2.51 MX$43.76

62.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 $8.57

$8.34 MX$146

2.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 $6.26

$8.34 MX$146

-24.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.22 $11.22

$10.73 MX$187

4.57%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$2.60 MX$45.48

66.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.46 MX$25.45

-8.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$1.90 MX$33.19

73.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.08 MX$36.26

-5.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.78 MX$31.01

43.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.19 MX$38.16

1.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.04 MX$18.16

87.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.08 MX$18.80

146.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.87 $7.87

$4.08 MX$71.3

92.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.84 $14.84

$10.32 MX$180

43.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.71 MX$29.90

15.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 $3.38

$2.58 MX$44.98

31.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.51 MX$8.90

284.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.97 $3.97

$3.26 MX$57.0

21.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.49 MX$43.51

-1.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.45 $25.45

$3.25 MX$56.7

683.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.31 MX$22.83

-37.40%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$30.3K MX$528.8K

-13.65%

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

$20.7K $20.7K

$23.4K MX$409.2K

-11.58%

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

$91.1 $91.1

$82.9 MX$1,447

9.92%

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

$42.94 $42.94

$22.22 MX$388

93.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.3 $59.3

$29.34 MX$512

102.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.21 $25.21

$51.6 MX$902

-51.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$9.80 $9.80

$5.07 MX$88.5

93.29%

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

$1,323 $1,323

$201 MX$3,507

558.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K $11.3K

$5,212 MX$91.0K

116.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 $55.0

$36.92 MX$645

49.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.93 $45.93

$39.79 MX$695

15.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$78.5 MX$1,370

10.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.7 $86.7

$87.1 MX$1,521

-0.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 $1,608

$973 MX$17.0K

65.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,441 $1,441

$468 MX$8,169

208.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,837 $2,837

$1,641 MX$28.7K

72.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,239 $2,239

$1,221 MX$21.3K

83.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,616 $3,616

$3,946 MX$68.9K

-8.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,668 $3,668

$6,498 MX$113.5K

-43.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,813 $3,813

$664 MX$11.6K

474.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

11.42

-42.82%

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

Last update for Beaufort, SC: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Beaufort, SC and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Beaufort, SC pays 474% 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: $86.0 in Beaufort, SC vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $314 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 89% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Beaufort, SC pays 474% 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: $1,608 in Beaufort, SC versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Beaufort, SC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,455 per month in Beaufort, SC versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,455 in Beaufort, SC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Beaufort, 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 Beaufort, 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 89% less than in Beaufort, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.