Cost of Living Comparison Between Burlington, VT and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Burlington, VT and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,079 in Burlington, VT versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,226 in Burlington, VT versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,373 in Burlington, VT versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Burlington, VT is roughly 144% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Burlington, VT is 131% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$11.72 MX$203

76.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.3 $81.3

$41.89 MX$725

94.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.32 $11.32

$10.51 MX$182

7.71%

Cappuccino

$5.08 $5.08

$3.59 MX$62.0

41.50%

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

$2.54 $2.54

$1.51 MX$26.10

68.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$0.92 MX$15.83

144.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.13 $7.13

$2.96 MX$51.2

140.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.83 $7.83

$4.41 MX$76.3

77.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.40 MX$24.16

-15.00%

White Bread (500g)

$4.20 $4.20

$1.88 MX$32.60

123.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.46 $5.46

$1.56 MX$26.97

250.00%

Eggs

$4.52 $4.52

$2.61 MX$45.14

73.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.75 $13.75

$8.32 MX$144

65.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.87 $10.87

$8.35 MX$145

30.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.48 $13.48

$10.86 MX$188

24.13%

Apples (1kg)

$5.78 $5.78

$2.71 MX$46.93

113.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.51 MX$26.04

29.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.57 $5.57

$1.87 MX$32.41

197.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.79 $6.79

$2.19 MX$37.89

210.05%

Potato (1kg)

$4.63 $4.63

$1.86 MX$32.14

148.92%

Onion (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$2.23 MX$38.59

67.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.07 MX$18.48

168.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.09 MX$18.79

-10.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$4.19 MX$72.4

190.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 $12.58

$10.43 MX$180

20.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.66 MX$28.68

1.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.61 MX$45.19

11.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.54 MX$9.37

279.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.91 $49.91

$26.16 MX$453

90.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$3.08 MX$53.3

-16.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.40 MX$41.61

-29.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.25 $28.25

$3.13 MX$54.1

802.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.31 MX$22.69

-33.59%

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

$30.1K $30.1K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

0.85%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

8.70%

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

$190 $190

$81.3 MX$1,406

133.49%

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

$57.3 $57.3

$22.56 MX$390

154.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 $61.1

$30.05 MX$520

103.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.8 $75.8

$52.9 MX$915

43.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

$18.39 MX$318

51.71%

Cinema Ticket

$11.96 $11.96

$4.92 MX$85.1

143.09%

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

$1,267 $1,267

$201 MX$3,474

530.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K $12.2K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

135.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 $62.3

$35.92 MX$622

73.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.83 $29.83

$40.13 MX$694

-25.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.1 $54.1

$79.7 MX$1,379

-32.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 $90.3

$86.5 MX$1,496

4.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,784 $1,784

$978 MX$16.9K

82.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,821 $1,821

$470 MX$8,140

287.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,972 $2,972

$1,651 MX$28.6K

79.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,374 $2,374

$1,203 MX$20.8K

97.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,875 $3,875

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-1.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,355 $3,355

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-49.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,627 $4,627

$677 MX$11.7K

583.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

11.42

-43.70%

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

Last update for Burlington, VT: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,784 in Burlington, VT and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Burlington, VT pays 584% 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: $81.0 in Burlington, VT vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $411 vs $252 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

Burlington, VT vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 144% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 584% higher in Burlington, VT, 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: $1,784 in Burlington, VT versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 91% less than in Burlington, VT. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,267 in Burlington, VT versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,079 in Burlington, VT, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Burlington, VT. 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 Burlington, VT, 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 144% less than in Burlington, VT. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.