Cost of Living Comparison Between Fairfield, CA and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Fairfield, CA and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,004 in Fairfield, CA versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,602 in Fairfield, CA versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,201 in Fairfield, CA versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Fairfield, CA is roughly 218% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Fairfield, CA is 201% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.59 $21.59

$11.72 MX$203

84.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.1 $80.1

$41.89 MX$725

91.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.91 $11.91

$10.51 MX$182

13.32%

Cappuccino

$4.78 $4.78

$3.59 MX$62.0

33.15%

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

$2.87 $2.87

$1.51 MX$26.10

90.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.92 MX$15.83

113.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.61 $7.61

$2.96 MX$51.2

157.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.92 $6.92

$4.41 MX$76.3

56.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.40 MX$24.16

-12.86%

White Bread (500g)

$4.08 $4.08

$1.88 MX$32.60

117.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$1.56 MX$26.97

176.92%

Eggs

$5.36 $5.36

$2.61 MX$45.14

105.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.57 $13.57

$8.32 MX$144

63.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.12 $11.12

$8.35 MX$145

33.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.57 $17.57

$10.86 MX$188

61.79%

Apples (1kg)

$8.05 $8.05

$2.71 MX$46.93

197.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$1.51 MX$26.04

92.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.85 $5.85

$1.87 MX$32.41

212.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.58 $7.58

$2.19 MX$37.89

246.12%

Potato (1kg)

$3.85 $3.85

$1.86 MX$32.14

106.99%

Onion (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$2.23 MX$38.59

71.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.07 MX$18.48

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.09 MX$18.79

81.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.07 $12.07

$4.19 MX$72.4

188.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.84 $9.84

$10.43 MX$180

-5.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.66 MX$28.68

7.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.61 MX$45.19

-1.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.54 MX$9.37

261.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.9 $87.9

$26.16 MX$453

235.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 $2.99

$3.08 MX$53.3

-2.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$2.40 MX$41.61

-24.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.49 $29.49

$3.13 MX$54.1

842.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.31 MX$22.69

3.05%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

14.83%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

17.29%

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

$225 $225

$81.3 MX$1,406

176.87%

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

$50.8 $50.8

$22.56 MX$390

125.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.4 $73.4

$30.05 MX$520

144.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$125 $125

$52.9 MX$915

135.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$75.9 $75.9

$18.39 MX$318

312.56%

Cinema Ticket

$14.17 $14.17

$4.92 MX$85.1

188.01%

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

$1,900 $1,900

$201 MX$3,474

845.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.4K $20.4K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

293.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 $57.9

$35.92 MX$622

61.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.75 $41.75

$40.13 MX$694

4.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.7 $83.7

$79.7 MX$1,379

4.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 $109

$86.5 MX$1,496

25.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,516 $2,516

$978 MX$16.9K

157.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,403 $2,403

$470 MX$8,140

410.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,253 $3,253

$1,651 MX$28.6K

97.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,203 MX$20.8K

204.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,662 $3,662

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-7.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,768 $3,768

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-42.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,891 $4,891

$677 MX$11.7K

622.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.52

11.42

-42.91%

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

Last update for Fairfield, CA: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,516 in Fairfield, CA and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fairfield, CA pays 623% 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 Fairfield, CA vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $445 vs $252 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

Fairfield, CA vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 218% lower than in Fairfield, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 623% higher in Fairfield, CA, 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: $2,516 in Fairfield, CA versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $4,004 per month in Fairfield, CA versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 218% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 236% less than in Fairfield, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,004 in Fairfield, CA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Fairfield, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,260 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 218% less than in Fairfield, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.