Cost of Living Comparison Between College Park, MD and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between College Park, MD and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,468 per month in College Park, MD vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,819 per month in College Park, MD vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,169 per month in College Park, MD vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

College Park, MD costs about 168% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

College Park, MD sits 152% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.17 $19.17

$11.71 MX$199

63.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.6 $89.6

$46.59 MX$792

92.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 $10.68

$11.65 MX$198

-8.33%

Cappuccino

$5.06 $5.06

$4.09 MX$69.6

23.72%

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

$2.83 $2.83

$1.37 MX$23.35

106.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$0.83 MX$14.17

171.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.73 $6.73

$3.35 MX$57.0

100.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.16 $8.16

$6.91 MX$117

18.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.73 MX$29.35

-35.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.53 $3.53

$2.26 MX$38.41

56.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$1.77 MX$30.07

211.86%

Eggs

$4.85 $4.85

$2.73 MX$46.43

77.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.65 $12.65

$9.18 MX$156

37.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.65 $12.65

$8.92 MX$152

41.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.24 $23.24

$12.60 MX$214

84.44%

Apples (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$3.02 MX$51.3

115.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.57 MX$26.69

-1.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.30 $7.30

$2.13 MX$36.12

242.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.49 $5.49

$2.26 MX$38.48

142.92%

Potato (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$2.00 MX$34.05

142.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.06 MX$35.08

63.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.18 MX$20.05

112.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.20 MX$20.46

97.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$4.63 MX$78.8

198.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.26 $15.26

$10.69 MX$182

42.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.62 MX$27.52

9.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 $3.66

$2.88 MX$48.96

27.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 $2.98

$0.57 MX$9.74

422.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$507

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 $1.79

$5.45 MX$92.6

-67.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 $1.40

$3.70 MX$63.0

-62.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.98 $23.98

$5.98 MX$102

301.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.55 MX$26.40

-40.65%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$22.3K MX$379.4K

59.90%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$25.9K MX$441.0K

-2.63%

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

$216 $216

$89.1 MX$1,515

142.56%

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

$53.5 $53.5

$25.04 MX$426

113.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.3 $81.3

$31.50 MX$535

157.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.80 $40.80

$67.8 MX$1,152

-39.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

Cinema Ticket

$14.83 $14.83

$5.05 MX$85.8

193.66%

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

$1,964 $1,964

$225 MX$3,823

772.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.9K $34.9K

$4,222 MX$71.8K

727.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 $51.6

$47.44 MX$806

8.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.04 $48.04

$44.98 MX$764

6.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 $90.7

$82.0 MX$1,393

10.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 $133

$92.1 MX$1,565

43.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,295 $2,295

$1,069 MX$18.2K

114.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,092 $2,092

$405 MX$6,888

416.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,830 $3,830

$1,935 MX$32.9K

97.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,154 $3,154

$1,301 MX$22.1K

142.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,326 $6,326

$749 MX$12.7K

744.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.23

11.45

-45.59%

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

Last update for College Park, MD: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,295 in College Park, MD versus $1,069 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 745% higher in College Park, MD, 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 $90.0 in College Park, MD versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $464 vs $277 – 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

College Park, MD vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,468 in College Park, MD, $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 168% apart. College Park, MD costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,202 per month in College Park, MD and $1,940 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 $3,468 in College Park, MD and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,964 per month in College Park, MD and $225 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 $1,293, than in College Park, MD at $3,468. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in College Park, MD 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen to $3,468 in College Park, MD. 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, College Park, MD makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.