๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,659 in Fayetteville, GA versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,880 in Fayetteville, GA versus $2,130 in Playa del Carmen.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,101 in Fayetteville, GA versus $2,999 in Playa del Carmen.
๐Living in Fayetteville, GA is roughly 111% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
๐The two cities straddle the global median: Fayetteville, GA is 98% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Fayetteville, GA
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.05$19.05
$11.67MX$202
63.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.5$74.5
$41.88MX$726
77.87%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.04$11.04
$10.40MX$180
6.15%
Cappuccino
$5.02$5.02
$3.61MX$62.6
39.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.59$2.59
$1.47MX$25.45
76.19%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06$2.06
$0.91MX$15.80
126.37%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.05$6.05
$3.03MX$52.6
99.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.93$6.93
$4.47MX$77.4
55.03%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Fayetteville, GA
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.04$1.04
$1.38MX$23.83
-24.64%
White Bread(500g)
$3.53$3.53
$1.84MX$31.93
91.85%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.44$4.44
$1.61MX$27.82
175.78%
Eggs
$4.28$4.28
$2.57MX$44.52
66.54%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.20$12.20
$8.49MX$147
43.70%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.37$11.37
$8.49MX$147
33.92%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.72$15.72
$10.99MX$190
43.04%
Apples(1kg)
$4.93$4.93
$2.73MX$47.25
80.59%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61$1.61
$1.50MX$25.92
7.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.17$4.17
$1.96MX$33.93
112.76%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.85$4.85
$2.12MX$36.70
128.77%
Potato(1kg)
$2.89$2.89
$1.86MX$32.30
55.38%
Onion(1kg)
$2.76$2.76
$2.17MX$37.67
27.19%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.11$2.11
$1.07MX$18.59
97.20%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.19$2.19
$1.05MX$18.18
108.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.64$9.64
$4.19MX$72.6
130.07%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.94$14.94
$10.28MX$178
45.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79$1.79
$1.67MX$28.87
7.19%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.34$3.34
$2.49MX$43.12
34.14%
๐ Getting Around
Fayetteville, GA
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.98$1.98
$0.54MX$9.37
266.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$35.07$35.07
$26.27MX$455
33.50%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.52$3.52
$3.10MX$53.8
13.55%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.58$1.58
$2.46MX$42.66
-35.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$29.04$29.04
$3.24MX$56.1
796.30%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.91$0.91
$1.26MX$21.83
-27.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K$29.7K
$30.2KMX$522.8K
-1.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.5K$25.5K
$23.4KMX$406.3K
8.83%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fayetteville, GA
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$191$191
$84.0MX$1,456
127.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$53.6$53.6
$22.21MX$385
141.33%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$67.7$67.7
$29.65MX$514
128.30%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Fayetteville, GA
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$43.48$43.48
$52.6MX$912
-17.40%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.34MX$318
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.38$13.38
$4.95MX$85.7
170.30%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Fayetteville, GA
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,318$1,318
$198MX$3,438
564.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$23.5K$23.5K
$5,322MX$92.2K
340.85%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Fayetteville, GA
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.9$51.9
$35.95MX$623
44.39%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05$40.05
$40.06MX$694
-0.02%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$85.5$85.5
$78.8MX$1,365
8.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112$112
$86.5MX$1,499
29.93%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Fayetteville, GA
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,592$1,592
$977MX$16.9K
62.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,344$1,344
$471MX$8,158
185.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,672$2,672
$1,595MX$27.6K
67.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,243$2,243
$1,215MX$21.1K
84.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,734$2,734
$4,032MX$69.9K
-32.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,374$2,374
$6,579MX$114.0K
-63.92%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Fayetteville, GA
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$714MX$12.4K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.51
11.42
-42.99%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Fayetteville, GA: April 21, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,592 in Fayetteville, GA and $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐Dining out: $74 in Fayetteville, GA vs $42 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $391 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
Fayetteville, GA vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Fayetteville, GA or Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost โ living expenses run 111% lower than in Fayetteville, GA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Fayetteville, GA vs Playa del Carmen?
You'd need roughly $3,988 in Fayetteville, GA and $1,891 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Fayetteville, GA vs Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,592 in Fayetteville, GA versus $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Fayetteville, GA vs Playa del Carmen?
A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 33% less than in Fayetteville, GA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Fayetteville, GA and Playa del Carmen?
Childcare runs $1,318 in Fayetteville, GA versus $198 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Fayetteville, GA or Playa del Carmen?
At $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,659 in Fayetteville, GA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Fayetteville, GA. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Fayetteville, GA or Playa del Carmen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value โ similar infrastructure at $1,261 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet โ expenses run 111% less than in Fayetteville, GA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Fayetteville, GA vs other spots: cost of living compared