Cost of Living Comparison Between Cookeville, TN and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Cookeville, TN and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,596 per month in Cookeville, TN vs $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,080 per month in Cookeville, TN vs $2,177 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,564 per month in Cookeville, TN vs $3,095 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Cookeville, TN costs about 106% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Cookeville, TN sits 94% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.85 $21.85

$11.95 MX$208

82.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.29 $49.29

$41.94 MX$730

17.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.17 $8.17

$10.42 MX$181

-21.59%

Cappuccino

$4.55 $4.55

$3.51 MX$61.2

29.63%

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

$6.56 $6.56

$1.52 MX$26.39

331.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$0.91 MX$15.84

86.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

$3.04 MX$52.9

101.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 $4.09

$4.37 MX$76.1

-6.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.42 MX$24.73

-19.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.83 MX$31.87

-43.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.32 $3.32

$1.63 MX$28.45

103.68%

Eggs

$3.98 $3.98

$2.54 MX$44.20

56.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.13 $12.13

$8.57 MX$149

41.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.48 $7.48

$8.49 MX$148

-11.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.19 $15.19

$10.80 MX$188

40.65%

Apples (1kg)

$8.89 $8.89

$2.75 MX$47.94

223.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.44 MX$25.00

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.89 MX$32.83

46.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.17 MX$37.77

55.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.78 MX$30.97

3.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.22 MX$38.71

7.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.07 MX$18.60

120.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.08 MX$18.79

142.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.26 $14.26

$4.15 MX$72.2

243.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.42 $12.42

$10.45 MX$182

18.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.74 MX$30.34

-2.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 $3.97

$2.58 MX$44.92

53.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.51 MX$8.94

286.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$451

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.12 $6.12

$3.21 MX$55.9

90.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 $0.60

$2.50 MX$43.55

-76.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.00 $29.00

$3.19 MX$55.4

809.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.26 MX$21.87

-36.51%

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

$35.1K $35.1K

$29.7K MX$516.6K

18.23%

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

$39.0K $39.0K

$23.7K MX$412.1K

64.87%

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

$323 $323

$82.0 MX$1,427

294.01%

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

$44.54 $44.54

$22.73 MX$395

95.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$105 $105

$29.42 MX$512

256.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.51 $35.51

$52.2 MX$908

-31.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.24 $37.24

$18.45 MX$321

101.84%

Cinema Ticket

$12.22 $12.22

$4.93 MX$85.9

147.87%

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

$734 $734

$202 MX$3,511

263.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$5,217 MX$90.8K

356.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.55 $45.55

$35.93 MX$625

26.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.9 $64.9

$40.33 MX$702

61.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 $137

$79.9 MX$1,390

71.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$89.3 MX$1,554

59.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 $1,209

$948 MX$16.5K

27.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 $1,195

$465 MX$8,097

156.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,556 $3,556

$1,630 MX$28.4K

118.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,839 $2,839

$1,193 MX$20.8K

137.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,766 $2,766

$3,933 MX$68.4K

-29.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,220 $2,220

$6,428 MX$111.9K

-65.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

11.42

-43.52%

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

Last update for Cookeville, TN: July 20, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,209 in Cookeville, TN versus $948 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Cookeville, TN versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $252 – 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

Cookeville, TN vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cookeville, TN costs about 106% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,894 per month in Cookeville, TN and $1,888 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Cookeville, TN and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% more in Cookeville, TN, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,259, than in Cookeville, TN at $2,596. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cookeville, TN it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,259 versus $2,596 in Cookeville, TN. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cookeville, TN makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.