Cost of Living Comparison Between Covington, LA and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Covington, LA and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,489 in Covington, LA versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,499 in Covington, LA versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,510 in Covington, LA versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Covington, LA is roughly 93% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Covington, LA is 86% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.44 $18.44

$11.94 MX$208

54.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.8 $54.8

$42.75 MX$744

28.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.87 $11.87

$10.59 MX$184

12.09%

Cappuccino

$3.06 $3.06

$3.62 MX$63.0

-15.47%

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

$1.79 $1.79

$1.47 MX$25.54

21.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 $1.42

$0.94 MX$16.41

51.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.02 $4.02

$3.09 MX$53.8

30.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.11 $5.11

$4.46 MX$77.6

14.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.43 MX$24.80

-38.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.36 $3.36

$1.88 MX$32.79

78.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.63 MX$28.34

55.21%

Eggs

$3.15 $3.15

$2.64 MX$45.99

19.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.23 $5.23

$8.21 MX$143

-36.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.35 $7.35

$8.29 MX$144

-11.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.14 $14.14

$11.10 MX$193

27.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.65 MX$46.14

29.43%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.50 MX$26.11

-44.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.99 MX$34.59

48.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 $4.25

$2.08 MX$36.13

104.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.79 MX$31.11

54.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.18 MX$37.87

26.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.08 MX$18.73

87.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.04 MX$18.04

102.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.42 $8.42

$3.97 MX$69.1

112.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.69 $16.69

$10.20 MX$178

63.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.73 MX$30.04

4.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.50 MX$43.46

22.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.52 MX$9.02

278.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.14 MX$54.7

-19.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.40 MX$41.80

-31.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.70 $25.70

$3.09 MX$53.7

731.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.27 MX$22.16

-32.28%

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

$34.9K $34.9K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

12.97%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

12.57%

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

$268 $268

$82.0 MX$1,427

226.96%

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

$49.24 $49.24

$22.45 MX$391

119.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.2 $67.2

$29.66 MX$516

126.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.79 $43.79

$51.9 MX$903

-15.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$10.32 $10.32

$4.97 MX$86.5

107.65%

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

$524 $524

$198 MX$3,442

164.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,027 $8,027

$5,273 MX$91.7K

52.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.01 $40.01

$36.34 MX$632

10.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 $43.48

$40.05 MX$697

8.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 $77.2

$79.9 MX$1,390

-3.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.5 $75.5

$88.9 MX$1,547

-15.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,758 $1,758

$963 MX$16.8K

82.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,338 $1,338

$465 MX$8,086

187.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,624 $2,624

$1,596 MX$27.8K

64.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,205 $2,205

$1,209 MX$21.0K

82.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,702 $6,702

$3,942 MX$68.6K

70.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-36.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,654 $4,654

$720 MX$12.5K

545.98%

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 Covington, LA: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,758 in Covington, LA and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Covington, LA pays 546% 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: $55.0 in Covington, LA vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $311 vs $251 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

Covington, LA 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. The 93% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Covington, LA pays 546% 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: $1,758 in Covington, LA versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Covington, LA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,489 per month in Covington, LA versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 93% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,489 in Covington, LA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Covington, LA. 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 Covington, LA, 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 93% less than in Covington, LA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.