Cost of Living Comparison Between Brentwood, CA and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Brentwood, CA and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,684 in Brentwood, CA versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,035 in Brentwood, CA versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,386 in Brentwood, CA versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Brentwood, CA is roughly 107% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Brentwood, CA is 100% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.98 $29.98

$11.73 MX$205

155.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 $110

$41.62 MX$727

163.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.64 MX$186

29.89%

Cappuccino

$6.37 $6.37

$3.52 MX$61.5

80.97%

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

$3.66 $3.66

$1.51 MX$26.37

142.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 $3.40

$0.97 MX$17.00

250.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.18 $9.18

$2.95 MX$51.5

211.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.91 $8.91

$4.45 MX$77.8

100.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.38 MX$24.16

-5.07%

White Bread (500g)

$4.60 $4.60

$1.89 MX$33.04

143.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.64 MX$28.59

91.46%

Eggs

$5.39 $5.39

$2.51 MX$43.76

114.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 $11.11

$8.34 MX$146

33.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.06 $11.06

$8.34 MX$146

32.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.86 $12.86

$10.73 MX$187

19.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$2.60 MX$45.48

73.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.46 MX$25.45

52.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$1.90 MX$33.19

133.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 $4.82

$2.08 MX$36.26

131.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.78 MX$31.01

62.36%

Onion (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.19 MX$38.16

53.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.04 MX$18.16

165.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.08 MX$18.80

146.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.63 $8.63

$4.08 MX$71.3

111.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.07 $13.07

$10.32 MX$180

26.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.71 MX$29.90

19.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.58 MX$44.98

-7.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.51 MX$8.90

301.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 $4.38

$3.26 MX$57.0

34.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 $1.90

$2.49 MX$43.51

-23.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.17 $30.17

$3.25 MX$56.7

828.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.31 MX$22.83

-3.82%

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

$30.1K $30.1K

$30.3K MX$528.8K

-0.70%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$23.4K MX$409.2K

12.93%

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

$217 $217

$82.9 MX$1,447

161.76%

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

$39.15 $39.15

$22.22 MX$388

76.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.2 $64.2

$29.34 MX$512

118.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.73 $43.73

$51.6 MX$902

-15.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$18.14 $18.14

$5.07 MX$88.5

257.79%

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

$1,134 $1,134

$201 MX$3,507

464.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.2K $24.2K

$5,212 MX$91.0K

364.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.45 $44.45

$36.92 MX$645

20.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.82 $39.82

$39.79 MX$695

0.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 $77.0

$78.5 MX$1,370

-1.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 $80.8

$87.1 MX$1,521

-7.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 $1,608

$973 MX$17.0K

65.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 $1,355

$468 MX$8,169

189.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,885 $3,885

$1,641 MX$28.7K

136.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,257 $2,257

$1,221 MX$21.3K

84.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,752 $2,752

$3,946 MX$68.9K

-30.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,238 $2,238

$6,498 MX$113.5K

-65.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

11.42

-41.59%

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

Last update for Brentwood, CA: 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 Brentwood, CA and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $110 in Brentwood, CA vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $398 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

Brentwood, CA vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brentwood, CA and Playa del Carmen differ by about 107% in total monthly costs ($2,684 vs $1,297 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,026 in Brentwood, CA and $1,945 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: $1,608 in Brentwood, CA 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 60% higher in Brentwood, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,684 per month in Brentwood, CA versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 107% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,684 in Brentwood, CA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Brentwood, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Brentwood, CA and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 107% less than in Brentwood, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.