Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Worth, TX and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Worth, TX and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,691 in Fort Worth, TX versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,989 in Fort Worth, TX versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,287 in Fort Worth, TX versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Fort Worth, TX is 101% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Fort Worth, TX
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.95 $17.95
$11.73 MX$203
53.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.2 $60.2
$41.62 MX$721
44.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.14 $12.14
$10.64 MX$184
14.10%
Cappuccino
$6.35 $6.35
$3.52 MX$61.0
80.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68 $2.68
$1.51 MX$26.17
77.48%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02 $2.02
$0.97 MX$16.87
108.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.04 $5.04
$2.95 MX$51.1
70.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.71 $5.71
$4.45 MX$77.2
28.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Fort Worth, TX
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.92 $0.92
$1.38 MX$23.97
-33.33%
White Bread (500g)
$3.13 $3.13
$1.89 MX$32.78
65.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.02 $4.02
$1.64 MX$28.37
145.12%
Eggs
$3.53 $3.53
$2.51 MX$43.42
40.64%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.74 $9.74
$8.34 MX$145
16.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.17 $15.17
$8.34 MX$145
81.89%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.50 $19.50
$10.73 MX$186
81.73%
Apples (1kg)
$5.97 $5.97
$2.60 MX$45.12
129.62%
Banana (1kg)
$2.69 $2.69
$1.46 MX$25.25
84.25%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.96 $3.96
$1.90 MX$32.94
108.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.10 $4.10
$2.08 MX$35.98
97.12%
Potato (1kg)
$2.43 $2.43
$1.78 MX$30.77
36.52%
Onion (1kg)
$2.88 $2.88
$2.19 MX$37.87
31.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.17 $2.17
$1.04 MX$18.02
108.65%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.17 $2.17
$1.08 MX$18.66
100.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.05 $9.05
$4.08 MX$70.7
121.81%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.72 $19.72
$10.32 MX$179
91.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.90 $1.90
$1.71 MX$29.67
11.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.39 $4.39
$2.58 MX$44.63
70.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Fort Worth, TX
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.34 $3.34
$0.51 MX$8.83
554.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$81.3 $81.3
$26.46 MX$459
207.26%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.06 $3.06
$3.26 MX$56.5
-6.13%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.73 $1.73
$2.49 MX$43.17
-30.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.37 $24.37
$3.25 MX$56.3
649.85%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.80 $0.80
$1.31 MX$22.65
-38.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K $24.6K
$30.3K MX$524.7K
-18.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K $26.7K
$23.4K MX$406.0K
13.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fort Worth, TX
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$232 $232
$82.9 MX$1,436
179.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$75.7 $75.7
$22.22 MX$385
240.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$77.5 $77.5
$29.34 MX$508
164.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Fort Worth, TX
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.54 $35.54
$51.6 MX$895
-31.16%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.37 $27.37
$18.32 MX$317
49.40%
Cinema Ticket
$13.62 $13.62
$5.07 MX$87.8
168.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Fort Worth, TX
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,860 $1,860
$201 MX$3,480
826.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.1K $23.1K
$5,212 MX$90.3K
343.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Fort Worth, TX
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.6 $60.6
$36.92 MX$640
64.19%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.49 $45.49
$39.79 MX$689
14.33%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 $115
$78.5 MX$1,360
46.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 $125
$87.1 MX$1,509
44.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Fort Worth, TX
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,598 $1,598
$973 MX$16.9K
64.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,231 $1,231
$468 MX$8,105
163.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,687 $2,687
$1,641 MX$28.4K
63.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,218 $2,218
$1,221 MX$21.2K
81.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,141 $4,141
$3,946 MX$68.4K
4.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,835 $1,835
$6,498 MX$112.6K
-71.76%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Fort Worth, TX
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,412 $4,412
$664 MX$11.5K
564.56%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.59
11.42
-42.29%

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

Last update for Fort Worth, TX: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,598 in Fort Worth, TX and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Worth, TX pays 565% 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: $60.0 in Fort Worth, TX vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $422 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 Worth, TX vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Fort Worth, TX and Playa del Carmen?
Fort Worth, TX and Playa del Carmen differ by about 108% in total monthly costs ($2,691 vs $1,297 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Fort Worth, TX or Playa del Carmen?
Fort Worth, TX pays 565% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Fort Worth, TX and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,598 in Fort Worth, TX versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Fort Worth, TX and Playa del Carmen?
Childcare runs $1,860 in Fort Worth, TX versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 70% higher in Fort Worth, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,691 in Fort Worth, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Fort Worth, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Fort Worth, TX and Playa del Carmen?
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.
Where should expats move: Fort Worth, TX or Playa del Carmen?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 108% less than in Fort Worth, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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