Cost of Living Comparison Between Branson, MO and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Branson, MO and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,011 per month in Branson, MO vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,937 per month in Branson, MO vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,864 per month in Branson, MO vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Branson, MO costs about 55% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Branson, MO sits 46% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.30 $20.30

$11.71 MX$198

73.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 $58.9

$46.59 MX$788

26.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 $10.41

$11.65 MX$197

-10.64%

Cappuccino

$4.94 $4.94

$4.09 MX$69.2

20.78%

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

$1.53 $1.53

$1.37 MX$23.23

11.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$0.83 MX$14.09

24.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.96 $3.96

$3.35 MX$56.7

18.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.08 $5.08

$6.91 MX$117

-26.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.73 MX$29.20

-28.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.47 $3.47

$2.26 MX$38.21

53.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.77 MX$29.91

77.97%

Eggs

$4.36 $4.36

$2.73 MX$46.19

59.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.79 $7.79

$9.18 MX$155

-15.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.99 $8.99

$8.92 MX$151

0.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.37 $13.37

$12.60 MX$213

6.11%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$3.02 MX$51.1

43.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.57 MX$26.55

-3.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.13 MX$35.93

5.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.50 $5.50

$2.26 MX$38.28

143.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.00 MX$33.88

12.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.06 MX$34.90

9.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.18 MX$19.94

25.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.20 MX$20.35

61.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 $7.13

$4.63 MX$78.4

54.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.16 $13.16

$10.69 MX$181

23.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.62 MX$27.38

21.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.88 MX$48.70

5.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.57 MX$9.69

259.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.49 $2.49

$5.45 MX$92.1

-54.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 $1.26

$3.70 MX$62.6

-65.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.0 $59.0

$5.98 MX$101

885.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.55 MX$26.26

-36.77%

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

$34.8K $34.8K

$22.3K MX$377.4K

55.95%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

-3.60%

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

$107 $107

$89.1 MX$1,507

19.98%

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

$66.0 $66.0

$25.04 MX$423

163.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.9 $71.9

$31.50 MX$532

128.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.28 $44.28

$67.8 MX$1,146

-34.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.90 $11.90

$28.92 MX$489

-58.85%

Cinema Ticket

$15.03 $15.03

$5.05 MX$85.4

197.62%

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

$793 $793

$225 MX$3,803

252.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K $21.2K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

401.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.81 $29.81

$47.44 MX$802

-37.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.60 $42.60

$44.98 MX$760

-5.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 $75.6

$82.0 MX$1,386

-7.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$92.1 MX$1,557

60.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 $1,061

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-0.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$959 $959

$405 MX$6,852

136.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,663 $1,663

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-14.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 $1,414

$1,301 MX$22.0K

8.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

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 Branson, MO: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,061 in Branson, MO versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Branson, MO versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $335 vs $277 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Branson, MO vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,011 in Branson, MO, $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 55% apart. Branson, MO costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,016 per month in Branson, MO and $1,940 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Branson, MO and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Branson, MO, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Branson, MO at $2,011. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Branson, MO it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,293 in Playa del Carmen to $2,011 in Branson, MO. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Branson, MO makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.