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: $2,801 in Fort Pierce, FL versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,019 in Fort Pierce, FL versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,238 in Fort Pierce, FL versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Fort Pierce, FL is roughly 115% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Fort Pierce, FL is 103% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.16 $22.16

$11.96 MX$203

85.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 $64.8

$47.38 MX$804

36.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.05 $11.05

$11.75 MX$199

-5.96%

Cappuccino

$5.14 $5.14

$4.12 MX$70.0

24.76%

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

$2.54 $2.54

$1.40 MX$23.74

81.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.91 MX$15.48

124.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.21 MX$54.4

67.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.14 $8.14

$7.07 MX$120

15.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.68 MX$28.44

-50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.15 MX$36.48

29.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$1.77 MX$30.10

148.02%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$2.82 MX$47.76

47.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.31 $12.31

$9.20 MX$156

33.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 $10.84

$9.23 MX$157

17.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.98 $13.98

$12.64 MX$214

10.60%

Apples (1kg)

$6.02 $6.02

$2.95 MX$50.1

104.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.58 MX$26.79

31.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.06 $5.06

$2.22 MX$37.70

127.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$2.36 MX$40.09

104.66%

Potato (1kg)

$3.66 $3.66

$1.99 MX$33.81

83.92%

Onion (1kg)

$3.41 $3.41

$1.98 MX$33.58

72.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.24 MX$21.04

47.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.21 MX$20.55

46.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.08 $9.08

$4.60 MX$78.1

97.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.65 $9.65

$10.52 MX$178

-8.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.41 $3.41

$1.69 MX$28.70

101.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 $3.68

$2.77 MX$47.06

32.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 $2.97

$5.24 MX$88.8

-43.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.93 $1.93

$3.65 MX$61.9

-47.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.47 $35.47

$5.78 MX$98.1

513.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.54 MX$26.09

-44.81%

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

$17.7K $17.7K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

-22.30%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

4.00%

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

$127 $127

$90.7 MX$1,538

40.02%

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

$64.2 $64.2

$25.19 MX$427

154.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.0 $79.0

$31.75 MX$539

148.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.29 $48.29

$68.8 MX$1,167

-29.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$14.21 $14.21

$4.86 MX$82.5

192.39%

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

$1,563 $1,563

$226 MX$3,828

592.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

411.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.82 $42.82

$47.38 MX$804

-9.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.61 $41.61

$43.45 MX$737

-4.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.2 $73.2

$80.2 MX$1,361

-8.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.1 $86.1

$91.4 MX$1,550

-5.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,872 $1,872

$1,086 MX$18.4K

72.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,570 $1,570

$409 MX$6,933

284.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,983 $2,983

$1,972 MX$33.5K

51.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,607 $2,607

$1,281 MX$21.7K

103.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,280 $3,280

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-18.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,123 $2,123

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-68.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,559 $2,559

$773 MX$13.1K

230.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

11.45

-45.50%

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

Last update for Fort Pierce, FL: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,872 in Fort Pierce, FL and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Pierce, FL pays 231% 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: $65.0 in Fort Pierce, FL vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $381 vs $278 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. The 115% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 231% higher in Fort Pierce, FL, 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: $1,872 in Fort Pierce, FL versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Fort Pierce, FL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,801 per month in Fort Pierce, FL versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – a 115% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,801 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 115% less than in Fort Pierce, FL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.