Cost of Living Comparison Between Flagstaff, AZ and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Flagstaff, AZ and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,949 per month in Flagstaff, AZ vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,356 per month in Flagstaff, AZ vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,763 per month in Flagstaff, AZ vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Flagstaff, AZ costs about 128% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Flagstaff, AZ sits 115% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.81 $19.81

$11.71 MX$199

69.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 $78.9

$46.59 MX$791

69.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.25 $14.25

$11.65 MX$198

22.32%

Cappuccino

$6.25 $6.25

$4.09 MX$69.5

52.81%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$1.37 MX$23.34

124.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 $2.32

$0.83 MX$14.16

179.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.16 $6.16

$3.35 MX$56.9

83.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.09 $7.09

$6.91 MX$117

2.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.73 MX$29.33

-49.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.26 MX$38.39

12.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.77 MX$30.05

138.42%

Eggs

$4.43 $4.43

$2.73 MX$46.41

62.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.41 $14.41

$9.18 MX$156

56.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.46 $7.46

$8.92 MX$151

-16.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.79 $10.79

$12.60 MX$214

-14.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 $3.66

$3.02 MX$51.3

21.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.57 MX$26.68

10.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.13 MX$36.10

69.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.73 $3.73

$2.26 MX$38.46

65.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.00 MX$34.04

14.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.06 MX$35.06

8.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.18 MX$20.04

96.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$1.20 MX$20.45

120.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.17 $10.17

$4.63 MX$78.7

119.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.76 $11.76

$10.69 MX$182

10.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.62 MX$27.50

27.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.88 MX$48.93

-19.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 $1.03

$0.57 MX$9.74

80.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.82 $31.82

$29.83 MX$507

6.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$5.45 MX$92.5

-48.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$3.70 MX$62.9

-62.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.82 $35.82

$5.98 MX$102

499.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.55 MX$26.38

-26.45%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

60.56%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

-1.91%

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

$206 $206

$89.1 MX$1,514

131.03%

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

$51.9 $51.9

$25.04 MX$425

107.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.8 $75.8

$31.50 MX$535

140.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.6 $67.6

$67.8 MX$1,151

-0.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.69 $19.69

$28.92 MX$491

-31.92%

Cinema Ticket

$13.70 $13.70

$5.05 MX$85.8

171.29%

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

$1,746 $1,746

$225 MX$3,820

676.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K $24.1K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

469.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 $61.4

$47.44 MX$806

29.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.60 $35.60

$44.98 MX$764

-20.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$82.0 MX$1,392

34.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$92.1 MX$1,564

32.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,051 $2,051

$1,069 MX$18.2K

91.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 $1,653

$405 MX$6,884

307.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,478 $3,478

$1,935 MX$32.9K

79.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 $2,794

$1,301 MX$22.1K

114.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,617 $4,617

$3,995 MX$67.9K

15.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,395 $4,395

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-33.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,814 $3,814

$749 MX$12.7K

409.42%

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 Flagstaff, AZ: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,051 in Flagstaff, AZ versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 409% higher in Flagstaff, AZ, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Flagstaff, AZ versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $334 vs $277 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Flagstaff, AZ vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Flagstaff, AZ costs about 128% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,424 per month in Flagstaff, AZ and $1,940 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 7% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,746 per month in Flagstaff, AZ and $225 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Flagstaff, AZ at $2,949. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Flagstaff, AZ it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,293 versus $2,949 in Flagstaff, AZ. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Flagstaff, AZ makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.