Cost of Living Comparison Between Elizabeth City, NC and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Elizabeth City, NC and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,487 per month in Elizabeth City, NC vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,532 per month in Elizabeth City, NC vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,576 per month in Elizabeth City, NC vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Elizabeth City, NC costs about 92% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Elizabeth City, NC sits 86% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.09 $12.09

$11.73 MX$205

3.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.30 $35.30

$41.62 MX$727

-15.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.80 $9.80

$10.64 MX$186

-7.89%

Cappuccino

$5.28 $5.28

$3.52 MX$61.5

50.00%

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

$2.38 $2.38

$1.51 MX$26.37

57.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.97 MX$17.00

104.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.57 $5.57

$2.95 MX$51.5

88.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.10 $6.10

$4.45 MX$77.8

37.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.38 MX$24.16

-34.78%

White Bread (500g)

$4.07 $4.07

$1.89 MX$33.04

115.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.64 MX$28.59

91.46%

Eggs

$4.60 $4.60

$2.51 MX$43.76

83.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 $11.11

$8.34 MX$146

33.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 $11.46

$8.34 MX$146

37.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.38 $16.38

$10.73 MX$187

52.66%

Apples (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$2.60 MX$45.48

67.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.46 MX$25.45

-4.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.90 MX$33.19

130.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$2.08 MX$36.26

115.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.78 MX$31.01

26.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.19 MX$38.16

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.04 MX$18.16

90.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.08 MX$18.80

101.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.40 $7.40

$4.08 MX$71.3

81.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 $15.10

$10.32 MX$180

46.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.71 MX$29.90

23.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.58 MX$44.98

21.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.51 MX$8.90

290.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.26 MX$57.0

-22.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.49 MX$43.51

-32.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.86 $14.86

$3.25 MX$56.7

357.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.31 MX$22.83

-37.40%

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

$30.0K $30.0K

$30.3K MX$528.8K

-0.86%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$23.4K MX$409.2K

13.07%

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

$186 $186

$82.9 MX$1,447

124.13%

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

$64.6 $64.6

$22.22 MX$388

190.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.0 $60.0

$29.34 MX$512

104.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.52 $42.52

$51.6 MX$902

-17.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$15.21 $15.21

$5.07 MX$88.5

200.00%

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

$1,485 $1,485

$201 MX$3,507

639.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K $24.5K

$5,212 MX$91.0K

369.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 $50.8

$36.92 MX$645

37.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.39 $40.39

$39.79 MX$695

1.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 $90.0

$78.5 MX$1,370

14.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$87.1 MX$1,521

61.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 $1,633

$973 MX$17.0K

67.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 $1,367

$468 MX$8,169

192.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,655 $2,655

$1,641 MX$28.7K

61.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,243 $2,243

$1,221 MX$21.3K

83.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,734 $2,734

$3,946 MX$68.9K

-30.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,076 $2,076

$6,498 MX$113.5K

-68.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

11.42

-42.82%

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

Last update for Elizabeth City, NC: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,633 in Elizabeth City, NC versus $973 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Elizabeth City, NC versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $383 in Elizabeth City, NC vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Elizabeth City, NC vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,487 in Elizabeth City, NC, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 92% apart. Elizabeth City, NC costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,731 per month in Elizabeth City, NC and $1,945 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Elizabeth City, NC and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% more in Elizabeth City, NC, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Elizabeth City, NC at $2,487. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Elizabeth City, NC it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,297 in Playa del Carmen to $2,487 in Elizabeth City, NC. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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