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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,126 per month in Fort Walton Beach, FL vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,452 per month in Fort Walton Beach, FL vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,778 per month in Fort Walton Beach, FL vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Fort Walton Beach, FL costs about 64% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Fort Walton Beach, FL sits 59% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.02 $15.02

$11.73 MX$203

28.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.2 $86.2

$41.62 MX$720

107.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.47 $10.47

$10.64 MX$184

-1.60%

Cappuccino

$5.49 $5.49

$3.52 MX$60.9

55.97%

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

$2.77 $2.77

$1.51 MX$26.12

83.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.97 MX$16.84

105.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.92 $4.92

$2.95 MX$51.0

66.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.61 $6.61

$4.45 MX$77.0

48.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.38 MX$23.93

-26.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 $2.90

$1.89 MX$32.72

53.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.64 MX$28.32

37.80%

Eggs

$2.60 $2.60

$2.51 MX$43.34

3.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.36 $12.36

$8.34 MX$144

48.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.59 $11.59

$8.34 MX$144

38.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.25 $15.25

$10.73 MX$186

42.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.60 MX$45.04

38.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.46 MX$25.20

21.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 $3.45

$1.90 MX$32.87

81.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.08 MX$35.91

66.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.78 MX$30.71

-21.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.19 MX$37.80

-8.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.04 MX$17.99

61.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.08 MX$18.62

89.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.77 $7.77

$4.08 MX$70.6

90.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.49 $8.49

$10.32 MX$178

-17.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.71 MX$29.61

22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 $4.31

$2.58 MX$44.54

67.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.51 MX$8.81

296.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.3 $50.3

$26.46 MX$458

90.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 $6.17

$3.26 MX$56.4

89.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.49 MX$43.09

-34.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.13 $45.13

$3.25 MX$56.2

1288.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.31 MX$22.61

-31.30%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-11.75%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

8.22%

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

$152 $152

$82.9 MX$1,433

83.18%

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

$43.51 $43.51

$22.22 MX$384

95.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.5 $67.5

$29.34 MX$507

130.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.05 $48.05

$51.6 MX$893

-6.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$13.35 $13.35

$5.07 MX$87.6

163.31%

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

$831 $831

$201 MX$3,473

313.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K $23.0K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

341.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.54 $30.54

$36.92 MX$639

-17.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.99 $19.99

$39.79 MX$688

-49.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.9 $96.9

$78.5 MX$1,357

23.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$87.1 MX$1,506

20.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,635 $1,635

$973 MX$16.8K

68.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,046 $1,046

$468 MX$8,090

123.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,718 $2,718

$1,641 MX$28.4K

65.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,226 $2,226

$1,221 MX$21.1K

82.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,801 $4,801

$3,946 MX$68.3K

21.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,327 $2,327

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-64.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,310 $3,310

$664 MX$11.5K

398.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

11.42

-42.99%

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

Last update for Fort Walton Beach, FL: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,635 in Fort Walton Beach, FL versus $973 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 399% higher in Fort Walton Beach, FL, 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 $86.0 in Fort Walton Beach, FL versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $335 vs $249 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,126 in Fort Walton Beach, FL, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 64% apart. Fort Walton Beach, FL costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,189 per month in Fort Walton Beach, FL and $1,945 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.

Groceries cost about 34% more in Fort Walton Beach, FL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $86.0 in Fort Walton Beach, FL and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Fort Walton Beach, FL at $2,126. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fort Walton Beach, FL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,297 in Playa del Carmen to $2,126 in Fort Walton Beach, FL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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