Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Brownsburg, IN and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,375 in Brownsburg, IN, rent and utilities included – about $14,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Brownsburg, IN, United States
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Brownsburg, IN
🇺🇸 United States
$2,375
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Brownsburg, IN and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Brownsburg, IN and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,375 in Brownsburg, IN versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Brownsburg, IN $2,375
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,416 in Brownsburg, IN versus $2,082 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Brownsburg, IN $3,416
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Brownsburg, IN versus $2,959 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Brownsburg, IN $4,457
  • Playa del Carmen $2,959

Living in Brownsburg, IN is roughly 97% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Brownsburg, IN is 75% above, Playa del Carmen is 12% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Brownsburg, IN
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.02 $20.02
$10.92 MX$204
83.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.8 $73.8
$43.37 MX$808
70.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.70 $11.70
$11.78 MX$220
-0.68%
Cappuccino
$5.26 $5.26
$3.81 MX$71.0
38.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.60 $2.60
$1.28 MX$23.90
103.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98 $1.98
$0.78 MX$14.59
153.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.90 $5.90
$3.17 MX$59.0
86.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.47 $7.47
$4.93 MX$92.0
51.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brownsburg, IN
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.77 $0.77
$1.41 MX$26.22
-45.39%
White Bread (500g)
$1.76 $1.76
$2.22 MX$41.33
-20.72%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.31 $4.31
$1.42 MX$26.42
203.52%
Eggs
$2.91 $2.91
$2.52 MX$47.03
15.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.38 $12.38
$7.26 MX$135
70.52%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.91 $8.91
$7.70 MX$143
15.71%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.22 $17.22
$12.69 MX$237
35.70%
Apples (1kg)
$5.13 $5.13
$2.78 MX$51.9
84.53%
Banana (1kg)
$1.91 $1.91
$1.37 MX$25.50
39.42%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.26 $4.26
$2.55 MX$47.55
67.06%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.61 $4.61
$2.12 MX$39.58
117.45%
Potato (1kg)
$2.74 $2.74
$1.94 MX$36.13
41.24%
Onion (1kg)
$2.93 $2.93
$1.89 MX$35.16
55.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.11 $2.11
$1.15 MX$21.37
83.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 $1.62
$1.18 MX$21.98
37.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.15 $10.15
$4.30 MX$80.1
136.05%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.05 $12.05
$9.95 MX$185
21.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.97 $1.97
$1.58 MX$29.52
24.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.32 $3.32
$2.67 MX$49.79
24.34%
🚌 Getting Around
Brownsburg, IN
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.91 $1.91
$0.55 MX$10.31
247.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$60.8 $60.8
$26.62 MX$496
128.32%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.08 $3.08
$4.97 MX$92.6
-38.03%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.95 $1.95
$3.33 MX$62.1
-41.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.76 $30.76
$5.36 MX$99.8
473.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$1.44 MX$26.92
-34.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.4K $28.4K
$20.7K MX$385.2K
37.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.0K $26.0K
$23.5K MX$437.4K
10.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brownsburg, IN
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$225 $225
$84.8 MX$1,581
165.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$80.9 $80.9
$23.41 MX$436
245.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$83.8 $83.8
$28.66 MX$534
192.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brownsburg, IN
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.48 $39.48
$57.1 MX$1,063
-30.80%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$28.91 MX$539
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.39 $13.39
$5.14 MX$95.8
160.51%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Brownsburg, IN
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,347 $1,347
$207 MX$3,851
552.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$26.4K $26.4K
$3,927 MX$73.2K
573.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brownsburg, IN
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.99 $44.99
$43.35 MX$808
3.78%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.23 $40.23
$41.44 MX$772
-2.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.6 $80.6
$74.2 MX$1,383
8.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$75.3 $75.3
$89.3 MX$1,664
-15.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brownsburg, IN
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,263 $1,263
$980 MX$18.3K
28.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,061 $1,061
$381 MX$7,099
178.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,751 $1,751
$1,708 MX$31.8K
2.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,628 $1,628
$1,075 MX$20.0K
51.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,919 $2,919
$3,943 MX$73.5K
-25.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,032 $2,032
$6,158 MX$114.8K
-67.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Brownsburg, IN
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$8,143 $8,143
$735 MX$13.7K
1008.70%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.57
11.45
-42.62%

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

Last update for Brownsburg, IN: October 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Brownsburg, IN
$1.1K
Playa del Carmen
$381 64.1% $681
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brownsburg, IN
$390
Playa del Carmen
$137 64.9% $253
Groceries & Markets
Brownsburg, IN
$347
Playa del Carmen
$255 26.6% $93
Eating Out
Brownsburg, IN
$321
Playa del Carmen
$202 37% $119
Clothing & Footwear
Brownsburg, IN
$109
Playa del Carmen
$112 2.9% $3.2
Getting Around
Brownsburg, IN
$81
Playa del Carmen
$50 37.9% $31
Sport & Entertainment
Brownsburg, IN
$66
Playa del Carmen
$67 1.6% $1.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,263 in Brownsburg, IN and $980 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brownsburg, IN pays about 11 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $74 in Brownsburg, IN vs $43 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $347 vs $255 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Brownsburg, IN
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
19:08 7:08 PM
18:08 6:08 PM
1 h behind Brownsburg, IN
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
18,850
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Brownsburg, IN Playa del Carmen 2,140 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Brownsburg, IN
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Brownsburg, IN vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Brownsburg, IN?
Playa del Carmen is about 49% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, utilities, and groceries. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Brownsburg, IN or Playa del Carmen?
Average pay in Brownsburg, IN is about 11 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Brownsburg, IN and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,263 in Brownsburg, IN versus $980 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 56% less than in Brownsburg, IN. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,347 in Brownsburg, IN versus $207 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Brownsburg, IN or in Playa del Carmen?
At $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,375 in Brownsburg, IN, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Brownsburg, IN. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Brownsburg, IN or in Playa del Carmen?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Brownsburg, IN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Brownsburg, IN vs other spots: cost of living compared

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