Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Pierce, FL and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Pierce, FL and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,702 in Fort Pierce, FL versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,994 in Fort Pierce, FL versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,286 in Fort Pierce, FL versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Fort Pierce, FL is roughly 108% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Fort Pierce, FL is 102% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.71 $19.71

$11.73 MX$203

68.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 $58.9

$41.62 MX$721

41.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.50 $11.50

$10.64 MX$184

8.08%

Cappuccino

$4.99 $4.99

$3.52 MX$61.0

41.76%

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

$2.34 $2.34

$1.51 MX$26.17

54.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$0.97 MX$16.87

95.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 $5.98

$2.95 MX$51.1

102.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 $7.10

$4.45 MX$77.2

59.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.38 MX$23.97

-35.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 $2.72

$1.89 MX$32.78

43.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$1.64 MX$28.37

200.61%

Eggs

$4.57 $4.57

$2.51 MX$43.42

82.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.38 $11.38

$8.34 MX$145

36.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.64 $11.64

$8.34 MX$145

39.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.67 $13.67

$10.73 MX$186

27.40%

Apples (1kg)

$6.18 $6.18

$2.60 MX$45.12

137.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.46 MX$25.25

39.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.47 $5.47

$1.90 MX$32.94

187.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 $3.41

$2.08 MX$35.98

63.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.78 MX$30.77

51.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 $2.34

$2.19 MX$37.87

6.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.04 MX$18.02

71.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.08 MX$18.66

55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.73 $8.73

$4.08 MX$70.7

113.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.82 $9.82

$10.32 MX$179

-4.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.71 MX$29.67

29.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.58 MX$44.63

7.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.51 MX$8.83

298.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 $2.96

$3.26 MX$56.5

-9.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$2.49 MX$43.17

-36.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.11 $35.11

$3.25 MX$56.3

980.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.31 MX$22.65

-34.35%

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

$17.7K $17.7K

$30.3K MX$524.7K

-41.41%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$23.4K MX$406.0K

10.07%

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

$129 $129

$82.9 MX$1,436

55.51%

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

$68.1 $68.1

$22.22 MX$385

206.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 $76.9

$29.34 MX$508

162.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.58 $47.58

$51.6 MX$895

-7.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$14.08 $14.08

$5.07 MX$87.8

177.71%

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

$1,167 $1,167

$201 MX$3,480

480.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K $10.0K

$5,212 MX$90.3K

92.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.41 $42.41

$36.92 MX$640

14.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 $36.98

$39.79 MX$689

-7.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.3 $73.3

$78.5 MX$1,360

-6.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.6 $83.6

$87.1 MX$1,509

-3.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,764 $1,764

$973 MX$16.9K

81.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,539 $1,539

$468 MX$8,105

229.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,013 $3,013

$1,641 MX$28.4K

83.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,585 $2,585

$1,221 MX$21.2K

111.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,292 $3,292

$3,946 MX$68.4K

-16.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,144 $2,144

$6,498 MX$112.6K

-67.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,647 $2,647

$664 MX$11.5K

298.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.3

11.42

-44.83%

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

Last update for Fort Pierce, FL: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,764 in Fort Pierce, FL and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Pierce, FL pays 299% 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: $59.0 in Fort Pierce, FL vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $366 vs $249 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

Fort Pierce, FL vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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.

Fort Pierce, FL pays 299% more on average, 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: $1,764 in Fort Pierce, FL versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Fort Pierce, FL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,702 per month in Fort Pierce, FL versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 108% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,702 in Fort Pierce, FL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Fort Pierce, FL. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Fort Pierce, FL, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 108% less than in Fort Pierce, FL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.