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 $2,125 per month in El Paso, TX vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,226 per month in El Paso, TX vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,328 per month in El Paso, TX vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

El Paso, TX costs about 69% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

El Paso, TX sits 60% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.68 $18.68

$11.72 MX$203

59.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.3 $71.3

$41.89 MX$725

70.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.98 $11.98

$10.51 MX$182

13.99%

Cappuccino

$6.32 $6.32

$3.59 MX$62.0

76.04%

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

$2.83 $2.83

$1.51 MX$26.10

87.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$0.92 MX$15.83

104.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.90 $4.90

$2.96 MX$51.2

65.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 $5.97

$4.41 MX$76.3

35.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.40 MX$24.16

-40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.88 MX$32.60

29.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.56 MX$26.97

64.74%

Eggs

$3.58 $3.58

$2.61 MX$45.14

37.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.32 $11.32

$8.32 MX$144

36.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.41 $11.41

$8.35 MX$145

36.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 $11.93

$10.86 MX$188

9.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$2.71 MX$46.93

42.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.51 MX$26.04

-13.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$1.87 MX$32.41

116.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$2.19 MX$37.89

95.43%

Potato (1kg)

$3.44 $3.44

$1.86 MX$32.14

84.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.23 MX$38.59

29.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.07 MX$18.48

102.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.09 MX$18.79

40.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.81 $11.81

$4.19 MX$72.4

181.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 $8.06

$10.43 MX$180

-22.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.66 MX$28.68

22.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 $4.56

$2.61 MX$45.19

74.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.54 MX$9.37

175.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.81 $47.81

$26.16 MX$453

82.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 $1.60

$3.08 MX$53.3

-48.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$2.40 MX$41.61

-40.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.60 $26.60

$3.13 MX$54.1

749.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.31 MX$22.69

-40.46%

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

$23.2K $23.2K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-22.04%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

8.98%

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

$169 $169

$81.3 MX$1,406

108.22%

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

$64.9 $64.9

$22.56 MX$390

187.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.6 $71.6

$30.05 MX$520

138.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.77 $25.77

$52.9 MX$915

-51.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.74 $7.74

$18.39 MX$318

-57.91%

Cinema Ticket

$11.95 $11.95

$4.92 MX$85.1

142.89%

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

$564 $564

$201 MX$3,474

180.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,804 $6,804

$5,175 MX$89.5K

31.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.41 $39.41

$35.92 MX$622

9.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.74 $43.74

$40.13 MX$694

9.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 $95.7

$79.7 MX$1,379

20.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$178 $178

$86.5 MX$1,496

105.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 $1,060

$978 MX$16.9K

8.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$870 $870

$470 MX$8,140

84.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,714 $1,714

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,601 $1,601

$1,203 MX$20.8K

33.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,755 $1,755

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-55.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,778 $1,778

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-73.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,280 $3,280

$677 MX$11.7K

384.72%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in El Paso, TX versus $978 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 385% 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 $71.0 in El Paso, TX versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $328 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

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

El Paso, TX costs about 69% 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 $3,187 per month in El Paso, TX and $1,890 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 $2,125 in El Paso, TX and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 83% 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 $1,260, than in El Paso, TX at $2,125. 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 $1,260 versus $2,125 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.