Cost of Living Comparison Between Cedar City, UT and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Cedar City, UT and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,420 in Cedar City, UT versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,774 in Cedar City, UT versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,129 in Cedar City, UT versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Cedar City, UT is roughly 87% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cedar City, UT is 81% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.12 $24.12

$11.73 MX$203

105.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.8 $80.8

$41.62 MX$721

94.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.78 $14.78

$10.64 MX$184

38.91%

Cappuccino

$6.39 $6.39

$3.52 MX$61.0

81.53%

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

$4.57 $4.57

$1.51 MX$26.17

202.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 $2.97

$0.97 MX$16.87

206.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.07 $6.07

$2.95 MX$51.1

105.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.17 $11.17

$4.45 MX$77.2

151.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.38 MX$23.97

-9.42%

White Bread (500g)

$4.06 $4.06

$1.89 MX$32.78

114.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.64 MX$28.37

128.66%

Eggs

$5.19 $5.19

$2.51 MX$43.42

106.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.35 $18.35

$8.34 MX$145

120.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

$8.34 MX$145

91.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.11 $18.11

$10.73 MX$186

68.78%

Apples (1kg)

$8.72 $8.72

$2.60 MX$45.12

235.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.46 MX$25.25

102.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.69 $7.69

$1.90 MX$32.94

304.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$2.08 MX$35.98

54.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.78 MX$30.77

3.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.19 MX$37.87

0.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.04 MX$18.02

136.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.08 MX$18.66

149.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.88 $12.88

$4.08 MX$70.7

215.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.69 $19.69

$10.32 MX$179

90.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.71 MX$29.67

-1.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 $5.64

$2.58 MX$44.63

118.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.32 $3.32

$0.51 MX$8.83

550.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.88 $39.88

$26.46 MX$459

50.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 $3.42

$3.26 MX$56.5

4.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.49 MX$43.17

-36.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.70 $28.70

$3.25 MX$56.3

783.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.31 MX$22.65

-30.53%

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

$37.1K $37.1K

$30.3K MX$524.7K

22.59%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$23.4K MX$406.0K

7.10%

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

$169 $169

$82.9 MX$1,436

103.52%

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

$33.12 $33.12

$22.22 MX$385

49.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 $57.6

$29.34 MX$508

96.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.33 $43.33

$51.6 MX$895

-16.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 $11.56

$5.07 MX$87.8

128.01%

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

$1,272 $1,272

$201 MX$3,480

533.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K $23.1K

$5,212 MX$90.3K

343.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 $58.0

$36.92 MX$640

57.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.41 $49.41

$39.79 MX$689

24.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$78.5 MX$1,360

28.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 $153

$87.1 MX$1,509

75.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,073 $1,073

$973 MX$16.9K

10.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$956 $956

$468 MX$8,105

104.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,176 $2,176

$1,641 MX$28.4K

32.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,895 $1,895

$1,221 MX$21.2K

55.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,667 $2,667

$3,946 MX$68.4K

-32.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,694 $2,694

$6,498 MX$112.6K

-58.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,550 $3,550

$664 MX$11.5K

434.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-38.70%

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

Last update for Cedar City, UT: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,073 in Cedar City, UT and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cedar City, UT pays 435% 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 Cedar City, UT vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $497 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

Cedar City, UT vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 87% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cedar City, UT pays 435% more on average, 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: $1,073 in Cedar City, UT versus $973 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 51% less than in Cedar City, UT. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,272 in Cedar City, UT versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,420 in Cedar City, UT, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Cedar City, UT. 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 Cedar City, UT, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cedar City, UT and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 87% less than in Cedar City, UT. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.