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: $2,618 in Covington, LA versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,772 in Covington, LA versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,927 in Covington, LA versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Covington, LA is roughly 107% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Covington, LA is 91% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.58 $18.58

$11.60 MX$200

60.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.3 $55.3

$47.11 MX$811

17.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.13 $12.13

$11.88 MX$205

2.10%

Cappuccino

$3.06 $3.06

$3.98 MX$68.5

-23.12%

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

$1.76 $1.76

$1.43 MX$24.57

23.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

$0.82 MX$14.20

68.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.14 $4.14

$3.19 MX$54.9

29.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 $5.33

$6.79 MX$117

-21.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.68 MX$28.85

-51.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.20 MX$37.83

58.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.71 MX$29.41

58.48%

Eggs

$3.14 $3.14

$2.74 MX$47.20

14.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.12 $5.12

$9.58 MX$165

-46.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.59 $7.59

$9.01 MX$155

-15.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.23 $14.23

$12.81 MX$221

11.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.92 $3.92

$2.89 MX$49.74

35.64%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.50 MX$25.78

-46.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$2.15 MX$36.98

21.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$2.26 MX$38.91

92.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.98 MX$34.10

39.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$1.99 MX$34.26

39.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.23 MX$21.25

69.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.20 MX$20.60

84.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.25 $9.25

$4.55 MX$78.3

103.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.95 $14.95

$10.37 MX$179

44.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.62 MX$27.88

25.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 $3.82

$2.88 MX$49.60

32.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.53 $2.53

$5.39 MX$92.8

-53.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$3.73 MX$64.2

-57.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.31 $26.31

$5.77 MX$99.3

355.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.54 MX$26.45

-35.71%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$22.5K MX$388.3K

64.97%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$26.1K MX$448.7K

1.84%

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

$305 $305

$91.4 MX$1,573

233.26%

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

$51.4 $51.4

$25.20 MX$434

104.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.5 $71.5

$31.24 MX$538

128.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.2 $65.2

$67.2 MX$1,157

-2.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$10.07 $10.07

$4.86 MX$83.7

107.20%

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

$606 $606

$224 MX$3,851

170.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K $14.0K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

231.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.63 $46.63

$47.10 MX$811

-1.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.02 $40.02

$44.29 MX$763

-9.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 $85.8

$80.1 MX$1,379

7.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.3 $93.3

$92.7 MX$1,596

0.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 $1,667

$1,063 MX$18.3K

56.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,439 $1,439

$390 MX$6,719

268.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,187 $3,187

$2,149 MX$37.0K

48.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,400 $2,400

$1,272 MX$21.9K

88.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,665 $6,665

$4,001 MX$68.9K

66.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,122 $4,122

$6,502 MX$112.0K

-36.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,774 $4,774

$758 MX$13.1K

529.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

11.45

-45.76%

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

Last update for Covington, LA: September 15, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,667 in Covington, LA and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Covington, LA pays 530% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $316 vs $276 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, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 107% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 530% higher in Covington, LA, 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: $1,667 in Covington, LA versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Covington, LA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,618 per month in Covington, LA versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 107% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,618 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 107% less than in Covington, LA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.