Cost of Living Comparison Between Gilbert, AZ and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Gilbert, AZ and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,733 in Gilbert, AZ versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,941 in Gilbert, AZ versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,148 in Gilbert, AZ versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Gilbert, AZ is roughly 111% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Gilbert, AZ is 99% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.87 $19.87

$11.71 MX$199

69.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.3 $76.3

$46.59 MX$791

63.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.48 $11.48

$11.65 MX$198

-1.46%

Cappuccino

$4.78 $4.78

$4.09 MX$69.5

16.87%

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

$2.69 $2.69

$1.37 MX$23.34

96.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$0.83 MX$14.16

109.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.18 $6.18

$3.35 MX$56.9

84.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.12 $6.12

$6.91 MX$117

-11.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.73 MX$29.33

-42.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.26 MX$38.39

43.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.04 $5.04

$1.77 MX$30.05

184.75%

Eggs

$3.85 $3.85

$2.73 MX$46.41

41.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.99 $11.99

$9.18 MX$156

30.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.16 $11.16

$8.92 MX$151

25.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.09 $13.09

$12.60 MX$214

3.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$3.02 MX$51.3

49.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.57 MX$26.68

24.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$2.13 MX$36.10

77.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 $4.25

$2.26 MX$38.46

88.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.00 MX$34.04

28.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.06 MX$35.06

-7.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.18 MX$20.04

66.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.20 MX$20.45

78.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.31 $10.31

$4.63 MX$78.7

122.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.52 $13.52

$10.69 MX$182

26.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.62 MX$27.50

27.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 $3.21

$2.88 MX$48.93

11.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 $1.03

$0.57 MX$9.74

80.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.23 $32.23

$29.83 MX$507

8.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$5.45 MX$92.5

-51.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 $1.40

$3.70 MX$62.9

-62.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.57 $36.57

$5.98 MX$102

511.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.55 MX$26.38

-40.00%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

60.69%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

-2.45%

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

$180 $180

$89.1 MX$1,514

101.66%

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

$60.9 $60.9

$25.04 MX$425

143.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.4 $75.4

$31.50 MX$535

139.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 $61.3

$67.8 MX$1,151

-9.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

Cinema Ticket

$11.76 $11.76

$5.05 MX$85.8

132.87%

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

$711 $711

$225 MX$3,820

216.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.4K $15.4K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

264.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 $51.0

$47.44 MX$806

7.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.89 $43.89

$44.98 MX$764

-2.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 $88.4

$82.0 MX$1,392

7.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$92.1 MX$1,564

25.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,745 $1,745

$1,069 MX$18.2K

63.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,482 $1,482

$405 MX$6,884

265.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,804 $2,804

$1,935 MX$32.9K

44.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,325 $2,325

$1,301 MX$22.1K

78.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,377 $5,377

$3,995 MX$67.9K

34.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,645 $4,645

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-29.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,331 $5,331

$749 MX$12.7K

612.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.06

11.45

-47.07%

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

Last update for Gilbert, AZ: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,745 in Gilbert, AZ and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gilbert, AZ pays 612% 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: $76.0 in Gilbert, AZ vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $369 vs $277 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

Gilbert, AZ vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 111% lower than in Gilbert, AZ. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 612% higher in Gilbert, AZ, 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: $1,745 in Gilbert, AZ versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $76.0 in Gilbert, AZ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,733 per month in Gilbert, AZ versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 111% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,733 in Gilbert, AZ, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Gilbert, AZ. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,293 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 111% less than in Gilbert, AZ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.