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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,681 in Brentwood, TN versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,859 in Brentwood, TN versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,038 in Brentwood, TN versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Brentwood, TN is roughly 112% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Brentwood, TN is 96% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.71 $17.71

$11.60 MX$200

52.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.8 $74.8

$47.11 MX$811

58.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 $11.39

$11.88 MX$205

-4.12%

Cappuccino

$5.34 $5.34

$3.98 MX$68.5

34.17%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$1.43 MX$24.57

90.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$0.82 MX$14.20

195.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.57 $6.57

$3.19 MX$54.9

105.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.60 $6.60

$6.79 MX$117

-2.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.68 MX$28.85

-35.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.90 $3.90

$2.20 MX$37.83

77.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.09 $4.09

$1.71 MX$29.41

139.18%

Eggs

$4.28 $4.28

$2.74 MX$47.20

56.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.88 $12.88

$9.58 MX$165

34.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.01 $14.01

$9.01 MX$155

55.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.65 $18.65

$12.81 MX$221

45.59%

Apples (1kg)

$5.93 $5.93

$2.89 MX$49.74

105.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.50 MX$25.78

2.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.15 MX$36.98

27.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.05 $5.05

$2.26 MX$38.91

123.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.98 MX$34.10

15.15%

Onion (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$1.99 MX$34.26

56.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.23 MX$21.25

93.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.20 MX$20.60

94.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.84 $9.84

$4.55 MX$78.3

116.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.49 $15.49

$10.37 MX$179

49.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.62 MX$27.88

19.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.88 MX$49.60

6.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.60 MX$10.34

235.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.07 $5.07

$5.39 MX$92.8

-5.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$3.73 MX$64.2

-57.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.15 $21.15

$5.77 MX$99.3

266.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.54 MX$26.45

-32.47%

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

$37.9K $37.9K

$22.5K MX$388.3K

68.17%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.1K MX$448.7K

2.42%

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

$223 $223

$91.4 MX$1,573

144.52%

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

$74.8 $74.8

$25.20 MX$434

196.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.1 $65.1

$31.24 MX$538

108.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.11 $42.11

$67.2 MX$1,157

-37.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$14.96 $14.96

$4.86 MX$83.7

207.82%

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

$1,209 $1,209

$224 MX$3,851

440.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.9K $23.9K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

465.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 $55.0

$47.10 MX$811

16.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.60 $43.60

$44.29 MX$763

-1.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 $111

$80.1 MX$1,379

38.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 $136

$92.7 MX$1,596

47.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,443 $1,443

$1,063 MX$18.3K

35.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,476 $1,476

$390 MX$6,719

278.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,783 $2,783

$2,149 MX$37.0K

29.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,426 $2,426

$1,272 MX$21.9K

90.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,767 $2,767

$4,001 MX$68.9K

-30.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,368 $2,368

$6,502 MX$112.0K

-63.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,044 $6,044

$758 MX$13.1K

697.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

11.45

-46.90%

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

Last update for Brentwood, TN: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,443 in Brentwood, TN and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brentwood, TN pays 697% 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: $75.0 in Brentwood, TN vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $421 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

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

Brentwood, TN and Playa del Carmen differ by about 112% in total monthly costs ($2,681 vs $1,266 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 697% higher in Brentwood, TN, 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: $1,443 in Brentwood, TN 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 52% higher in Brentwood, TN. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,681 per month in Brentwood, TN versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 112% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,681 in Brentwood, TN, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Brentwood, TN. 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.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 112% less than in Brentwood, TN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.