Cost of Living Comparison Between Brunswick, ME and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Brunswick, ME and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,657 in Brunswick, ME versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,790 in Brunswick, ME versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,923 in Brunswick, ME versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Brunswick, ME is roughly 112% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Brunswick, ME is 99% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.41 $29.41

$11.99 MX$209

145.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 $120

$41.78 MX$728

187.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.22 $12.22

$10.75 MX$187

13.67%

Cappuccino

$6.41 $6.41

$3.50 MX$60.9

83.14%

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

$2.93 $2.93

$1.45 MX$25.22

102.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$0.88 MX$15.41

175.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.04 $5.04

$2.95 MX$51.3

70.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$4.51 MX$78.6

74.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.43 MX$24.94

-30.77%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.84 MX$31.99

77.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.55 $3.55

$1.57 MX$27.31

126.11%

Eggs

$2.46 $2.46

$2.51 MX$43.74

-1.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.33 $13.33

$8.28 MX$144

60.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.59 $10.59

$8.43 MX$147

25.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.97 $15.97

$10.68 MX$186

49.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 $3.32

$2.61 MX$45.43

27.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.44 MX$25.04

5.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$1.96 MX$34.16

124.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$2.09 MX$36.47

128.23%

Potato (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$1.85 MX$32.24

74.05%

Onion (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$2.17 MX$37.74

103.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.03 MX$17.96

140.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.07 MX$18.70

82.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.81 $8.81

$4.10 MX$71.4

114.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.02 $13.02

$10.17 MX$177

28.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.68 MX$29.17

-17.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.53 MX$43.98

-27.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.51 MX$8.87

301.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 $2.05

$3.23 MX$56.3

-36.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$2.41 MX$41.88

-34.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.56 $29.56

$3.23 MX$56.2

815.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.32 MX$23.00

-31.82%

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

$28.8K $28.8K

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-2.93%

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

$37.3K $37.3K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

57.67%

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

$159 $159

$82.0 MX$1,428

93.33%

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

$54.6 $54.6

$22.95 MX$400

138.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.9 $79.9

$30.11 MX$524

165.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.41 $43.41

$52.0 MX$905

-16.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$14.40 $14.40

$4.98 MX$86.6

189.16%

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

$1,293 $1,293

$197 MX$3,438

555.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

336.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 $50.4

$35.60 MX$620

41.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.9 $74.9

$40.33 MX$702

85.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 $121

$78.8 MX$1,371

53.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 $131

$88.9 MX$1,549

47.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 $1,596

$947 MX$16.5K

68.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,370 $1,370

$474 MX$8,254

189.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,457 $2,457

$1,644 MX$28.6K

49.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,813 $1,813

$1,211 MX$21.1K

49.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,000 $3,000

$4,056 MX$70.6K

-26.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,605 $2,605

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-59.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,775 $4,775

$654 MX$11.4K

630.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.71

11.42

-41.24%

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

Last update for Brunswick, ME: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,596 in Brunswick, ME and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brunswick, ME pays 630% 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: $120 in Brunswick, ME vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $363 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

Brunswick, ME vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 112% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 630% higher in Brunswick, ME, 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: $1,596 in Brunswick, ME versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,293 in Brunswick, ME versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $120 in Brunswick, ME. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,657 in Brunswick, ME, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Brunswick, ME. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Brunswick, ME, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

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