๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,621 in Farmington, CT versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,836 in Farmington, CT versus $2,130 in Playa del Carmen.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,050 in Farmington, CT versus $2,999 in Playa del Carmen.
๐Living in Farmington, CT is roughly 108% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐The two cities straddle the global median: Farmington, CT is 96% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Farmington, CT
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.96$18.96
$11.67MX$202
62.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$100$100
$41.88MX$726
139.54%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.33$13.33
$10.40MX$180
28.17%
Cappuccino
$4.60$4.60
$3.61MX$62.6
27.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82$2.82
$1.47MX$25.45
91.84%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13$2.13
$0.91MX$15.80
134.07%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.88$5.88
$3.03MX$52.6
94.06%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.68$7.68
$4.47MX$77.4
71.81%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Farmington, CT
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.01$1.01
$1.38MX$23.83
-26.81%
White Bread(500g)
$3.28$3.28
$1.84MX$31.93
78.26%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.13$3.13
$1.61MX$27.82
94.41%
Eggs
$4.23$4.23
$2.57MX$44.52
64.59%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.79$10.79
$8.49MX$147
27.09%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.52$7.52
$8.49MX$147
-11.43%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.37$13.37
$10.99MX$190
21.66%
Apples(1kg)
$4.44$4.44
$2.73MX$47.25
62.64%
Banana(1kg)
$2.18$2.18
$1.50MX$25.92
45.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.04$3.04
$1.96MX$33.93
55.10%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.53$5.53
$2.12MX$36.70
160.85%
Potato(1kg)
$4.36$4.36
$1.86MX$32.30
134.41%
Onion(1kg)
$2.92$2.92
$2.17MX$37.67
34.56%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.95$1.95
$1.07MX$18.59
82.24%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.46$2.46
$1.05MX$18.18
134.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.91$9.91
$4.19MX$72.6
136.52%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.02$15.02
$10.28MX$178
46.11%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.17$2.17
$1.67MX$28.87
29.94%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05$2.05
$2.49MX$43.12
-17.67%
๐ Getting Around
Farmington, CT
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.95$1.95
$0.54MX$9.37
261.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$26.27MX$455
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.87$4.87
$3.10MX$53.8
57.10%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.66$1.66
$2.46MX$42.66
-32.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$29.77$29.77
$3.24MX$56.1
818.83%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.83$0.83
$1.26MX$21.83
-34.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.0K$30.0K
$30.2KMX$522.8K
-0.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K$26.3K
$23.4KMX$406.3K
12.28%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Farmington, CT
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$259$259
$84.0MX$1,456
208.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$64.7$64.7
$22.21MX$385
191.40%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$61.5$61.5
$29.65MX$514
107.32%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Farmington, CT
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$43.46$43.46
$52.6MX$912
-17.44%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.34MX$318
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.96$14.96
$4.95MX$85.7
202.22%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Farmington, CT
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$992$992
$198MX$3,438
400.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$23.2K$23.2K
$5,322MX$92.2K
336.41%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Farmington, CT
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.1$50.1
$35.95MX$623
39.42%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.19$32.19
$40.06MX$694
-19.65%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$65.6$65.6
$78.8MX$1,365
-16.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1$84.1
$86.5MX$1,499
-2.76%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Farmington, CT
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,627$1,627
$977MX$16.9K
66.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,363$1,363
$471MX$8,158
189.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,633$2,633
$1,595MX$27.6K
65.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,253$2,253
$1,215MX$21.1K
85.45%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,899$2,899
$4,032MX$69.9K
-28.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,055$2,055
$6,579MX$114.0K
-68.76%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Farmington, CT
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,359$2,359
$714MX$12.4K
230.30%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.61
11.42
-42.12%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Farmington, CT: April 22, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,627 in Farmington, CT and $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐ฐFarmington, CT pays 230% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
๐Dining out: $100 in Farmington, CT vs $42 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $359 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
Farmington, CT vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Farmington, CT?
Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 108% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Farmington, CT or Playa del Carmen?
Farmington, CT pays 230% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Farmington, CT and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,627 in Farmington, CT versus $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Farmington, CT and Playa del Carmen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Farmington, CT. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Farmington, CT vs Playa del Carmen?
All in, you'll spend $2,621 per month in Farmington, CT versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen โ a 108% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Farmington, CT or Playa del Carmen?
At $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,621 in Farmington, CT, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Farmington, CT. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Farmington, CT or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Farmington, CT, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet โ expenses run 108% less than in Farmington, CT. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Farmington, CT vs other spots: cost of living compared