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: $3,942 in Fairfield, CA versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,556 in Fairfield, CA versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,170 in Fairfield, CA versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Fairfield, CA is roughly 206% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Fairfield, CA is 194% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.05 $22.05

$11.94 MX$209

84.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.8 $80.8

$42.75 MX$748

89.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.90 $11.90

$10.59 MX$185

12.37%

Cappuccino

$4.75 $4.75

$3.62 MX$63.4

31.22%

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

$2.84 $2.84

$1.47 MX$25.69

93.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.94 MX$16.51

118.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.60 $7.60

$3.09 MX$54.1

145.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.98 $6.98

$4.46 MX$78.0

56.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.43 MX$24.94

-18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.94 $3.94

$1.88 MX$32.97

109.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$1.63 MX$28.50

171.78%

Eggs

$5.35 $5.35

$2.64 MX$46.26

102.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 $13.49

$8.21 MX$144

64.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.34 $11.34

$8.29 MX$145

36.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.97 $17.97

$11.10 MX$194

61.89%

Apples (1kg)

$8.05 $8.05

$2.65 MX$46.40

203.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.85 $2.85

$1.50 MX$26.26

90.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 $5.81

$1.99 MX$34.79

191.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.75 $7.75

$2.08 MX$36.33

272.60%

Potato (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$1.79 MX$31.29

116.76%

Onion (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$2.18 MX$38.09

75.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.08 MX$18.84

97.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.04 MX$18.15

87.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.78 $11.78

$3.97 MX$69.5

196.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.01 $10.01

$10.20 MX$179

-1.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.73 MX$30.22

3.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.50 MX$43.71

4.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.52 MX$9.07

280.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.6 $87.6

$26.97 MX$472

224.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 $2.97

$3.14 MX$55.0

-5.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 $1.89

$2.40 MX$42.04

-21.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.86 $28.86

$3.09 MX$54.0

833.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.27 MX$22.28

0.79%

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

$34.7K $34.7K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

12.24%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

16.43%

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

$229 $229

$82.0 MX$1,435

178.76%

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

$50.1 $50.1

$22.45 MX$393

122.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.3 $73.3

$29.66 MX$519

147.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$124 $124

$51.9 MX$908

138.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$75.3 $75.3

$18.67 MX$327

303.32%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$4.97 MX$87.0

187.32%

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

$1,892 $1,892

$198 MX$3,462

856.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.2K $20.2K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

283.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 $57.8

$36.34 MX$636

59.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.08 $43.08

$40.05 MX$701

7.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 $86.1

$79.9 MX$1,398

7.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$88.9 MX$1,555

24.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,499 $2,499

$963 MX$16.9K

159.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,464 $2,464

$465 MX$8,133

430.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,244 $3,244

$1,596 MX$27.9K

103.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,743 $3,743

$1,209 MX$21.2K

209.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,697 $3,697

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-6.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,647 $3,647

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-43.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,903 $4,903

$720 MX$12.6K

580.61%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,499 in Fairfield, CA and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fairfield, CA pays 581% 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: $81.0 in Fairfield, CA vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $446 vs $251 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 206% 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.

Fairfield, CA pays 581% more on average, 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: $2,499 in Fairfield, CA versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,942 per month in Fairfield, CA versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 206% 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 225% less than in Fairfield, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,942 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 $1,287 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 206% less than in Fairfield, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.