Cost of Living Comparison Between Fulshear, TX and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Fulshear, TX and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,498 in Fulshear, TX versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,583 in Fulshear, TX versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,667 in Fulshear, TX versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Fulshear, TX is roughly 97% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Fulshear, TX is 86% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Fulshear, TX
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.03 $19.03
$11.87 MX$204
60.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.4 $69.4
$42.90 MX$736
61.86%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.91 $11.91
$10.65 MX$183
11.83%
Cappuccino
$5.13 $5.13
$3.45 MX$59.2
48.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31 $2.31
$1.50 MX$25.81
54.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.90 $1.90
$0.95 MX$16.28
100.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.90 $5.90
$3.03 MX$51.9
94.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.89 $6.89
$4.61 MX$79.1
49.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Fulshear, TX
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.94 $0.94
$1.38 MX$23.61
-31.88%
White Bread (500g)
$2.32 $2.32
$1.85 MX$31.70
25.41%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.83 $4.83
$1.61 MX$27.65
200.00%
Eggs
$2.15 $2.15
$2.59 MX$44.51
-16.99%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.00 $11.00
$8.26 MX$142
33.17%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.20 $10.20
$8.37 MX$144
21.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.30 $13.30
$10.66 MX$183
24.77%
Apples (1kg)
$3.91 $3.91
$2.63 MX$45.12
48.67%
Banana (1kg)
$1.06 $1.06
$1.49 MX$25.53
-28.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.09 $4.09
$1.92 MX$32.94
113.02%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.20 $2.20
$2.09 MX$35.81
5.26%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 $1.94
$1.86 MX$31.88
4.30%
Onion (1kg)
$2.64 $2.64
$2.26 MX$38.81
16.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.71 $1.71
$1.06 MX$18.23
61.32%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.90 $1.90
$1.09 MX$18.67
74.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.76 $8.76
$4.15 MX$71.2
111.08%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.79 $14.79
$10.39 MX$178
42.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.39 $2.39
$1.72 MX$29.59
38.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.19 $3.19
$2.61 MX$44.85
22.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Fulshear, TX
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.03 $2.03
$0.54 MX$9.30
275.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$26.94 MX$462
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.58 $3.58
$3.13 MX$53.7
14.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.89 $1.89
$2.51 MX$43.09
-24.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$45.46 $45.46
$3.15 MX$54.1
1343.17%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.80 $0.80
$1.27 MX$21.88
-37.01%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.3K $29.3K
$30.4K MX$521.3K
-3.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4K $23.4K
$23.6K MX$404.5K
-0.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fulshear, TX
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$197 $197
$83.0 MX$1,425
137.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$60.9 $60.9
$22.71 MX$390
168.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$67.6 $67.6
$29.46 MX$506
129.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Fulshear, TX
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.32 $43.32
$51.0 MX$875
-15.06%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.33 MX$315
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.03 $14.03
$4.93 MX$84.5
184.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Fulshear, TX
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,148 $1,148
$197 MX$3,386
482.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.2K $16.2K
$5,280 MX$90.6K
207.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Fulshear, TX
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$25.35 $25.35
$36.90 MX$633
-31.30%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.74 $41.74
$39.89 MX$685
4.64%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$65.8 $65.8
$80.0 MX$1,373
-17.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$118 $118
$89.5 MX$1,536
31.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Fulshear, TX
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,622 $1,622
$956 MX$16.4K
69.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,357 $1,357
$477 MX$8,189
184.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,591 $2,591
$1,646 MX$28.3K
57.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,192 $2,192
$1,225 MX$21.0K
79.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,749 $2,749
$3,918 MX$67.2K
-29.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,530 $2,530
$6,459 MX$110.9K
-60.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Fulshear, TX
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$667 MX$11.4K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6
11.42
-47.46%

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

Last update for Fulshear, TX: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,622 in Fulshear, TX and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $69.0 in Fulshear, TX vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $326 vs $250 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
Fulshear, TX vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Fulshear, TX or Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 97% lower than in Fulshear, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Fulshear, TX vs Playa del Carmen?
You'd need roughly $3,748 in Fulshear, TX and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Fulshear, TX vs Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,622 in Fulshear, TX versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Fulshear, TX or Playa del Carmen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Fulshear, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Fulshear, TX compared to Playa del Carmen?
All in, you'll spend $2,498 per month in Fulshear, TX versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 97% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Fulshear, TX or Playa del Carmen?
At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,498 in Fulshear, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Fulshear, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Fulshear, TX or Playa del Carmen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,271 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 97% less than in Fulshear, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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