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: $3,957 in Fairfield, CA versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,296 in Fairfield, CA versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,635 in Fairfield, CA versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Fairfield, CA is roughly 213% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Fairfield, CA is 189% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.40 $22.40

$11.60 MX$200

93.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.7 $96.7

$47.11 MX$811

105.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.96 $11.96

$11.88 MX$205

0.67%

Cappuccino

$6.46 $6.46

$3.98 MX$68.5

62.31%

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

$3.37 $3.37

$1.43 MX$24.57

135.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.82 MX$14.20

140.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.94 $7.94

$3.19 MX$54.9

148.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.08 $7.08

$6.79 MX$117

4.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.68 MX$28.85

-13.69%

White Bread (500g)

$4.41 $4.41

$2.20 MX$37.83

100.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$1.71 MX$29.41

172.51%

Eggs

$5.48 $5.48

$2.74 MX$47.20

100.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.14 $14.14

$9.58 MX$165

47.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.56 $14.56

$9.01 MX$155

61.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.37 $17.37

$12.81 MX$221

35.60%

Apples (1kg)

$5.82 $5.82

$2.89 MX$49.74

101.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.50 MX$25.78

77.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.16 $6.16

$2.15 MX$36.98

186.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.80 $6.80

$2.26 MX$38.91

200.88%

Potato (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$1.98 MX$34.10

91.41%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 $3.69

$1.99 MX$34.26

85.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.23 MX$21.25

89.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.20 MX$20.60

68.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.06 $12.06

$4.55 MX$78.3

165.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.14 $10.14

$10.37 MX$179

-2.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.62 MX$27.88

16.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.88 MX$49.60

-29.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.60 MX$10.34

223.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.6 $88.6

$28.80 MX$496

207.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 $2.93

$5.39 MX$92.8

-45.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 $1.89

$3.73 MX$64.2

-49.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.95 $28.95

$5.77 MX$99.3

401.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.54 MX$26.45

-16.23%

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

$34.6K $34.6K

$22.5K MX$388.3K

53.32%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$26.1K MX$448.7K

3.17%

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

$190 $190

$91.4 MX$1,573

107.57%

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

$50.3 $50.3

$25.20 MX$434

99.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.4 $73.4

$31.24 MX$538

134.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$125 $125

$67.2 MX$1,157

86.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$74.2 $74.2

$29.11 MX$501

154.79%

Cinema Ticket

$14.72 $14.72

$4.86 MX$83.7

202.88%

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

$1,294 $1,294

$224 MX$3,851

478.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.8K $19.8K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

367.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 $53.5

$47.10 MX$811

13.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.50 $41.50

$44.29 MX$763

-6.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 $107

$80.1 MX$1,379

33.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$92.7 MX$1,596

19.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,449 $2,449

$1,063 MX$18.3K

130.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,369 $2,369

$390 MX$6,719

507.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,017 $3,017

$2,149 MX$37.0K

40.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,917 $2,917

$1,272 MX$21.9K

129.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,630 $3,630

$4,001 MX$68.9K

-9.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,677 $3,677

$6,502 MX$112.0K

-43.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,851 $4,851

$758 MX$13.1K

539.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.12

11.45

-46.55%

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

Last update for Fairfield, CA: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,449 in Fairfield, CA and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fairfield, CA pays 540% 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: $97.0 in Fairfield, CA vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $456 vs $276 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 213% 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 540% 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: $2,449 in Fairfield, CA versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,957 per month in Fairfield, CA versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 213% 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 208% less than in Fairfield, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,957 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 $1,266 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 213% less than in Fairfield, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.