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: $2,608 in Belton, SC versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,823 in Belton, SC versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,037 in Belton, SC versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Belton, SC is roughly 103% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Belton, SC is 95% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.72 $18.72

$11.94 MX$209

56.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.6 $75.6

$42.75 MX$748

76.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 $10.87

$10.59 MX$185

2.64%

Cappuccino

$5.15 $5.15

$3.62 MX$63.4

42.27%

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

$2.52 $2.52

$1.47 MX$25.69

71.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.94 MX$16.51

109.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.01 $6.01

$3.09 MX$54.1

94.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 $7.14

$4.46 MX$78.0

60.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.43 MX$24.94

-30.07%

White Bread (500g)

$3.52 $3.52

$1.88 MX$32.97

87.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$1.63 MX$28.50

161.96%

Eggs

$4.08 $4.08

$2.64 MX$46.26

54.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.40 $12.40

$8.21 MX$144

51.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.72 $11.72

$8.29 MX$145

41.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.62 $15.62

$11.10 MX$194

40.72%

Apples (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$2.65 MX$46.40

87.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.50 MX$26.26

8.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$1.99 MX$34.79

118.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$2.08 MX$36.33

125.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.79 MX$31.29

55.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.18 MX$38.09

32.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.08 MX$18.84

89.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.04 MX$18.15

105.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.77 $9.77

$3.97 MX$69.5

146.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.97 $14.97

$10.20 MX$179

46.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.73 MX$30.22

6.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.50 MX$43.71

38.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.52 MX$9.07

278.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 $3.46

$3.14 MX$55.0

10.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.40 MX$42.04

-34.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.77 $29.77

$3.09 MX$54.0

863.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.27 MX$22.28

-33.07%

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

$29.1K $29.1K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-5.85%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

9.47%

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

$190 $190

$82.0 MX$1,435

132.02%

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

$52.1 $52.1

$22.45 MX$393

131.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 $69.1

$29.66 MX$519

132.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.86 $42.86

$51.9 MX$908

-17.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$13.46 $13.46

$4.97 MX$87.0

170.82%

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

$1,291 $1,291

$198 MX$3,462

552.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

346.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 $50.8

$36.34 MX$636

39.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.68 $39.68

$40.05 MX$701

-0.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 $88.0

$79.9 MX$1,398

10.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$88.9 MX$1,555

25.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,634 $1,634

$963 MX$16.9K

69.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,362 $1,362

$465 MX$8,133

193.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,631 $2,631

$1,596 MX$27.9K

64.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,201 $2,201

$1,209 MX$21.2K

82.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,719 $2,719

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-31.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,406 $2,406

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-62.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

11.42

-42.99%

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

Last update for Belton, SC: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,634 in Belton, SC and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $76.0 in Belton, SC vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $391 vs $251 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 103% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,912 in Belton, SC and $1,930 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: $1,634 in Belton, SC versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 56% higher in Belton, SC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,608 per month in Belton, SC versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 103% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,608 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 103% less than in Belton, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.