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 $2,068 per month in Brownsville, TX vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,096 per month in Brownsville, TX vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,123 per month in Brownsville, TX vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Brownsville, TX costs about 63% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Brownsville, TX sits 51% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.13 $20.13

$11.60 MX$200

73.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.4 $75.4

$47.11 MX$812

60.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.32 $11.32

$11.88 MX$205

-4.71%

Cappuccino

$5.38 $5.38

$3.98 MX$68.6

35.18%

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

$2.69 $2.69

$1.43 MX$24.60

88.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.82 MX$14.22

139.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$3.19 MX$55.0

85.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.36 $7.36

$6.79 MX$117

8.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.68 MX$28.89

-48.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.20 MX$37.88

-2.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.71 MX$29.45

153.80%

Eggs

$2.77 $2.77

$2.74 MX$47.26

1.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.50 $9.50

$9.58 MX$165

-0.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 $11.63

$9.01 MX$155

29.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.74 $16.74

$12.81 MX$221

30.68%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 $5.06

$2.89 MX$49.81

75.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.50 MX$25.81

14.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$2.15 MX$37.03

111.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$2.26 MX$38.96

103.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$1.98 MX$34.15

38.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.99 MX$34.30

50.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.23 MX$21.28

78.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.20 MX$20.63

83.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.01 $10.01

$4.55 MX$78.5

120.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$10.37 MX$179

46.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.62 MX$27.91

16.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 $3.42

$2.88 MX$49.67

18.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.89 $1.89

$0.60 MX$10.35

215.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$5.39 MX$92.9

-41.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.62 $1.62

$3.73 MX$64.3

-56.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.07 $33.07

$5.77 MX$99.5

473.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.54 MX$26.48

-46.75%

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

$30.9K $30.9K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

37.22%

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

$24.1K $24.1K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-7.65%

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

$200 $200

$91.4 MX$1,576

119.34%

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

$74.4 $74.4

$25.20 MX$435

195.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.4 $77.4

$31.24 MX$539

147.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.21 $42.21

$67.2 MX$1,159

-37.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$14.42 $14.42

$4.86 MX$83.8

196.71%

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

$1,408 $1,408

$224 MX$3,856

529.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K $25.3K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

498.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.84 $44.84

$47.10 MX$812

-4.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.20 $38.20

$44.29 MX$764

-13.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 $84.1

$80.1 MX$1,381

4.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$92.7 MX$1,598

26.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 $947

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-10.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$810 $810

$390 MX$6,728

107.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,665 $1,665

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-22.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,426 $1,426

$1,272 MX$21.9K

12.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,886 $1,886

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-52.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,875 $1,875

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-71.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,212 $3,212

$758 MX$13.1K

323.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.65

11.45

-50.66%

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

Last update for Brownsville, TX: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Brownsville, TX versus $1,063 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 324% 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 $75.0 in Brownsville, TX versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $368 vs $276 – 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: $2,068 in Brownsville, TX, $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 63% apart. Brownsville, TX costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,103 per month in Brownsville, TX and $1,899 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 $2,068 in Brownsville, TX and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,408 per month in Brownsville, TX and $224 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 $1,266, than in Brownsville, TX at $2,068. 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen to $2,068 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.