Cost of Living Comparison Between Duluth, GA and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Duluth, GA and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,709 in Duluth, GA versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,872 in Duluth, GA versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,034 in Duluth, GA versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Duluth, GA is roughly 109% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Duluth, GA is 97% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.17 $17.17

$11.71 MX$198

46.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.3 $80.3

$46.59 MX$787

72.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.84 $9.84

$11.65 MX$197

-15.54%

Cappuccino

$4.76 $4.76

$4.09 MX$69.1

16.38%

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

$2.75 $2.75

$1.37 MX$23.21

100.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.83 MX$14.08

144.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.67 $5.67

$3.35 MX$56.6

69.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.68 $6.68

$6.91 MX$117

-3.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.73 MX$29.16

-46.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.26 MX$38.17

52.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.76 $4.76

$1.77 MX$29.88

168.93%

Eggs

$4.42 $4.42

$2.73 MX$46.14

61.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.59 $11.59

$9.18 MX$155

26.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 $9.12

$8.92 MX$151

2.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.02 $15.02

$12.60 MX$213

19.21%

Apples (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$3.02 MX$51.0

52.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.57 MX$26.52

-1.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.13 MX$35.89

96.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$2.26 MX$38.23

76.99%

Potato (1kg)

$3.41 $3.41

$2.00 MX$33.84

70.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$2.06 MX$34.86

83.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.18 MX$19.92

91.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.20 MX$20.33

89.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$4.63 MX$78.3

115.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 $14.80

$10.69 MX$180

38.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.62 MX$27.35

7.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 $3.70

$2.88 MX$48.65

28.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$0.57 MX$9.68

333.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.80 $34.80

$29.83 MX$504

16.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 $2.54

$5.45 MX$92.0

-53.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$3.70 MX$62.6

-57.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.79 $29.79

$5.98 MX$101

398.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.55 MX$26.23

-43.87%

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

$32.4K $32.4K

$22.3K MX$377.0K

45.09%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$25.9K MX$438.2K

5.05%

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

$223 $223

$89.1 MX$1,505

150.67%

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

$54.2 $54.2

$25.04 MX$423

116.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.7 $67.7

$31.50 MX$532

114.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.88 $9.88

$28.92 MX$488

-65.84%

Cinema Ticket

$17.22 $17.22

$5.05 MX$85.3

240.99%

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

$1,209 $1,209

$225 MX$3,798

437.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K $15.5K

$4,222 MX$71.3K

267.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 $50.4

$47.44 MX$801

6.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.23 $45.23

$44.98 MX$759

0.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 $108

$82.0 MX$1,384

31.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$92.1 MX$1,555

32.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 $1,765

$1,069 MX$18.1K

65.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,523 $1,523

$405 MX$6,844

275.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,419 $2,419

$1,935 MX$32.7K

24.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,241 $2,241

$1,301 MX$22.0K

72.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$111.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,120 $4,120

$749 MX$12.6K

450.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.3

11.45

-44.98%

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

Last update for Duluth, GA: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,765 in Duluth, GA and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Duluth, GA pays 450% 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: $80.0 in Duluth, GA vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $375 vs $277 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

Duluth, GA vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Duluth, GA and Playa del Carmen differ by about 109% in total monthly costs ($2,709 vs $1,293 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 450% higher in Duluth, GA, 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: $1,765 in Duluth, GA versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,209 in Duluth, GA versus $225 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Duluth, GA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,709 in Duluth, GA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Duluth, GA. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 109% less than in Duluth, GA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.