Cost of Living Comparison Between Fond du Lac, WI and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Fond du Lac, WI and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $987 in Fond du Lac, WI versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,641 in Fond du Lac, WI versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,295 in Fond du Lac, WI versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Fond du Lac, WI costs roughly 22% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Fond du Lac, WI 28% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.92 $12.92

$11.60 MX$200

11.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.6 $67.6

$47.11 MX$812

43.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 $7.95

$11.88 MX$205

-33.08%

Cappuccino

$4.04 $4.04

$3.98 MX$68.6

1.51%

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

$2.91 $2.91

$1.43 MX$24.60

103.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.82 MX$14.22

186.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.97 $3.97

$3.19 MX$55.0

24.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.12 $6.12

$6.79 MX$117

-9.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.68 MX$28.89

-54.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 $2.84

$2.20 MX$37.88

29.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.71 MX$29.45

73.10%

Eggs

$3.15 $3.15

$2.74 MX$47.26

14.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.46 $16.46

$9.58 MX$165

71.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.56 $11.56

$9.01 MX$155

28.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.99 $12.99

$12.81 MX$221

1.41%

Apples (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.89 MX$49.81

54.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.50 MX$25.81

12.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.59 $3.59

$2.15 MX$37.03

66.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$2.26 MX$38.96

168.14%

Potato (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$1.98 MX$34.15

135.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.99 MX$34.30

25.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.23 MX$21.28

-20.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.20 MX$20.63

42.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.17 $11.17

$4.55 MX$78.5

145.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.10 $8.10

$10.37 MX$179

-21.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.62 MX$27.91

4.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.15 $10.15

$5.39 MX$92.9

88.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.30 $20.30

$5.77 MX$99.5

251.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.54 MX$26.48

-42.86%

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

$24.4K $24.4K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

8.18%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-2.93%

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

$99.4 $99.4

$91.4 MX$1,576

8.82%

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

$37.03 $37.03

$25.20 MX$435

46.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 $51.5

$31.24 MX$539

64.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$11.96 $11.96

$4.86 MX$83.8

146.09%

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

$1,475 $1,475

$224 MX$3,856

559.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 $57.7

$47.10 MX$812

22.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.80 $46.80

$44.29 MX$764

5.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 $89.2

$80.1 MX$1,381

11.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$221 $221

$92.7 MX$1,598

138.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,217 $1,217

$1,063 MX$18.3K

14.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,508 $1,508

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-29.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,785 $1,785

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-55.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,786 $1,786

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-72.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,953 $2,953

$758 MX$13.1K

289.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.16

11.45

-46.20%

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

Last update for Fond du Lac, WI: September 15, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,217 in Fond du Lac, WI and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fond du Lac, WI pays 289% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68.0 in Fond du Lac, WI vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 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

Fond du Lac, WI vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fond du Lac, WI and Playa del Carmen differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($987 vs $1,266 including rent). Fond du Lac, WI is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 289% higher in Fond du Lac, WI, 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: $1,217 in Fond du Lac, WI versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,475 in Fond du Lac, WI versus $224 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Fond du Lac, WI – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $987 in Fond du Lac, WI versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Fond du Lac, WI but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Fond du Lac, WI the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Fond du Lac, WI and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Fond du Lac, WI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.