Cost of Living Comparison Between Brownsville, TX and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Brownsville, TX and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,886 per month in Brownsville, TX vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,639 per month in Brownsville, TX vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,391 per month in Brownsville, TX vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Brownsville, TX costs about 48% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Brownsville, TX sits 40% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.83 $9.83

$11.87 MX$204

-17.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.9 $55.9

$42.90 MX$736

30.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.78 $11.78

$10.65 MX$183

10.61%

Cappuccino

$5.06 $5.06

$3.45 MX$59.2

46.67%

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

$2.04 $2.04

$1.50 MX$25.81

36.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.95 MX$16.28

108.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.53 $5.53

$3.03 MX$51.9

82.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.40 $7.40

$4.61 MX$79.1

60.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.38 MX$23.61

-35.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.85 MX$31.70

18.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.61 MX$27.65

35.40%

Eggs

$2.75 $2.75

$2.59 MX$44.51

6.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 $9.27

$8.26 MX$142

12.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.49 $11.49

$8.37 MX$144

37.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.55 $9.55

$10.66 MX$183

-10.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.63 MX$45.12

-1.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.49 MX$25.53

6.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.92 MX$32.94

-15.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.09 MX$35.81

-4.31%

Potato (1kg)

$5.55 $5.55

$1.86 MX$31.88

198.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 $1.11

$2.26 MX$38.81

-50.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.06 MX$18.23

-6.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.09 MX$18.67

-6.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.86 $9.86

$4.15 MX$71.2

137.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.42 $15.42

$10.39 MX$178

48.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.72 MX$29.59

7.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.14 $5.14

$2.61 MX$44.85

96.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.54 MX$9.30

266.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 $3.56

$3.13 MX$53.7

13.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$2.51 MX$43.09

-36.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.30 $29.30

$3.15 MX$54.1

830.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.27 MX$21.88

-40.16%

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

$30.1K $30.1K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-0.97%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

7.74%

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

$335 $335

$83.0 MX$1,425

303.08%

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

$74.0 $74.0

$22.71 MX$390

225.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.0 $76.0

$29.46 MX$506

157.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.73 $49.73

$51.0 MX$875

-2.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$14.77 $14.77

$4.93 MX$84.5

199.59%

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

$596 $596

$197 MX$3,386

202.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K $23.1K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

336.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 $50.6

$36.90 MX$633

37.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.35 $40.35

$39.89 MX$685

1.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 $87.2

$80.0 MX$1,373

9.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$89.5 MX$1,536

23.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$783 $783

$956 MX$16.4K

-18.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$687 $687

$477 MX$8,189

43.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$966 $966

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-41.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$934 $934

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-23.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,888 $1,888

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-51.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,842 $1,842

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-71.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,271 $3,271

$667 MX$11.4K

390.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.47

11.42

-52.10%

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

Last update for Brownsville, TX: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $783 in Brownsville, TX versus $956 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.

Salaries run about 390% higher in Brownsville, TX, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $56.0 in Brownsville, TX versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $250 – 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

Brownsville, TX vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,886 in Brownsville, TX, $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 48% apart. Brownsville, TX costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,830 per month in Brownsville, TX and $1,906 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,886 in Brownsville, TX and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $596 per month in Brownsville, TX and $197 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Brownsville, TX at $1,886. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brownsville, TX 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen to $1,886 in Brownsville, TX. 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, Brownsville, TX makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.