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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,616 in Belton, SC versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,773 in Belton, SC versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,931 in Belton, SC versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Belton, SC is roughly 107% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Belton, SC is 91% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.88 $19.88

$11.60 MX$200

71.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 $73.6

$47.11 MX$812

56.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 $11.39

$11.88 MX$205

-4.12%

Cappuccino

$5.39 $5.39

$3.98 MX$68.6

35.43%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$1.43 MX$24.60

90.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.82 MX$14.22

142.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.06 $6.06

$3.19 MX$55.0

89.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.04 $7.04

$6.79 MX$117

3.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.68 MX$28.89

-41.07%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.20 MX$37.88

56.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$1.71 MX$29.45

161.40%

Eggs

$4.26 $4.26

$2.74 MX$47.26

55.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.56 $12.56

$9.58 MX$165

31.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.35 $11.35

$9.01 MX$155

25.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.14 $17.14

$12.81 MX$221

33.80%

Apples (1kg)

$5.00 $5.00

$2.89 MX$49.81

73.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.50 MX$25.81

9.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$2.15 MX$37.03

107.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$2.26 MX$38.96

112.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.98 MX$34.15

37.88%

Onion (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.99 MX$34.30

51.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.23 MX$21.28

72.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.20 MX$20.63

90.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.16 $10.16

$4.55 MX$78.5

123.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.86 $14.86

$10.37 MX$179

43.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.62 MX$27.91

9.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.88 MX$49.67

13.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 $2.27

$0.60 MX$10.35

278.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 $2.74

$5.39 MX$92.9

-49.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$3.73 MX$64.3

-58.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.60 $31.60

$5.77 MX$99.5

447.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.54 MX$26.48

-43.51%

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

$37.4K $37.4K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

65.91%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

6.37%

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

$202 $202

$91.4 MX$1,576

121.22%

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

$56.6 $56.6

$25.20 MX$435

124.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.8 $68.8

$31.24 MX$539

120.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.19 $47.19

$67.2 MX$1,159

-29.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$12.16 $12.16

$4.86 MX$83.8

150.21%

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

$1,552 $1,552

$224 MX$3,856

594.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.4K $22.4K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

429.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$47.10 MX$812

12.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 $41.74

$44.29 MX$764

-5.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 $86.3

$80.1 MX$1,381

7.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$92.7 MX$1,598

23.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,571 $1,571

$1,063 MX$18.3K

47.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,297 $1,297

$390 MX$6,728

232.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,529 $2,529

$2,149 MX$37.1K

17.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,134 $2,134

$1,272 MX$21.9K

67.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,811 $2,811

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-29.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,606 $2,606

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-59.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.12

11.45

-46.55%

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

Last update for Belton, SC: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,571 in Belton, SC and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $74.0 in Belton, SC vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $276 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

Belton, 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 107% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,924 in Belton, SC and $1,899 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,571 in Belton, SC versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Belton, SC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,616 per month in Belton, SC versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 107% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,616 in Belton, SC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Belton, 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 Belton, 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 107% less than in Belton, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.