Cost of Living Comparison Between El Paso, TX and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between El Paso, TX and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,154 per month in El Paso, TX vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,259 per month in El Paso, TX vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,364 per month in El Paso, TX vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

El Paso, TX costs about 67% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

El Paso, TX sits 61% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.63 $18.63

$11.94 MX$209

56.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 $69.2

$42.75 MX$748

61.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.79 $11.79

$10.59 MX$185

11.33%

Cappuccino

$6.51 $6.51

$3.62 MX$63.4

79.83%

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

$2.75 $2.75

$1.47 MX$25.69

87.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$0.94 MX$16.51

105.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.03 $5.03

$3.09 MX$54.1

62.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 $6.11

$4.46 MX$78.0

37.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.43 MX$24.94

-39.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.88 MX$32.97

31.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$1.63 MX$28.50

58.90%

Eggs

$3.68 $3.68

$2.64 MX$46.26

39.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.39 $11.39

$8.21 MX$144

38.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.17 $11.17

$8.29 MX$145

34.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 $11.94

$11.10 MX$194

7.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$2.65 MX$46.40

50.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.50 MX$26.26

-15.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.03 $4.03

$1.99 MX$34.79

102.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$2.08 MX$36.33

107.69%

Potato (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$1.79 MX$31.29

91.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$2.18 MX$38.09

33.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.08 MX$18.84

102.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.04 MX$18.15

48.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.23 $12.23

$3.97 MX$69.5

208.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.21 $8.21

$10.20 MX$179

-19.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.73 MX$30.22

21.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.72 $4.72

$2.50 MX$43.71

88.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 $1.46

$0.52 MX$9.07

180.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.55 $47.55

$26.97 MX$472

76.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 $1.63

$3.14 MX$55.0

-48.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$2.40 MX$42.04

-42.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.32 $27.32

$3.09 MX$54.0

784.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 $0.73

$1.27 MX$22.28

-42.52%

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

$23.5K $23.5K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-23.89%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

11.36%

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

$164 $164

$82.0 MX$1,435

100.41%

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

$64.6 $64.6

$22.45 MX$393

187.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.8 $70.8

$29.66 MX$519

138.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.25 $25.25

$51.9 MX$908

-51.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.67 $7.67

$18.67 MX$327

-58.92%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 $11.56

$4.97 MX$87.0

132.60%

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

$572 $572

$198 MX$3,462

189.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,041 $7,041

$5,273 MX$92.3K

33.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.18 $40.18

$36.34 MX$636

10.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.03 $43.03

$40.05 MX$701

7.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 $96.0

$79.9 MX$1,398

20.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$173 $173

$88.9 MX$1,555

94.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,038 $1,038

$963 MX$16.9K

7.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$880 $880

$465 MX$8,133

89.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,700 $1,700

$1,596 MX$27.9K

6.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 $1,597

$1,209 MX$21.2K

32.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,778 $1,778

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-54.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,788 $1,788

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-72.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,302 $3,302

$720 MX$12.6K

358.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

11.42

-42.99%

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

Last update for El Paso, TX: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,038 in El Paso, TX versus $963 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 358% higher in El Paso, TX, 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 $69.0 in El Paso, TX versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $329 vs $251 – 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

El Paso, TX vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

El Paso, TX costs about 67% 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 $3,231 per month in El Paso, TX and $1,930 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 $2,154 in El Paso, TX and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 76% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in El Paso, TX at $2,154. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in El Paso, TX it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,287 versus $2,154 in El Paso, TX. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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