Cost of Living Comparison Between Glendale, CA and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Glendale, CA and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,138 in Glendale, CA versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,608 in Glendale, CA versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,079 in Glendale, CA versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Glendale, CA is roughly 220% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Glendale, CA is 201% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.43 $25.43

$11.71 MX$199

117.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.1 $99.1

$46.59 MX$792

112.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 $14.16

$11.65 MX$198

21.55%

Cappuccino

$6.09 $6.09

$4.09 MX$69.6

48.90%

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

$3.35 $3.35

$1.37 MX$23.35

144.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 $2.77

$0.83 MX$14.17

233.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.22 $8.22

$3.35 MX$57.0

145.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.88 $9.88

$6.91 MX$117

42.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.73 MX$29.35

-19.65%

White Bread (500g)

$4.83 $4.83

$2.26 MX$38.41

113.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.76 $4.76

$1.77 MX$30.07

168.93%

Eggs

$6.06 $6.06

$2.73 MX$46.43

121.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.98 $11.98

$9.18 MX$156

30.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.39 $13.39

$8.92 MX$152

50.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.12 $20.12

$12.60 MX$214

59.68%

Apples (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$3.02 MX$51.3

52.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.57 MX$26.69

16.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$2.13 MX$36.12

104.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$2.26 MX$38.48

132.30%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$2.00 MX$34.05

62.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.06 MX$35.08

30.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.18 MX$20.05

75.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.20 MX$20.46

84.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.91 $11.91

$4.63 MX$78.8

157.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.02 $15.02

$10.69 MX$182

40.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.62 MX$27.52

37.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.88 MX$48.96

-2.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 $1.71

$0.57 MX$9.74

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.2 $90.2

$29.83 MX$507

202.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 $2.94

$5.45 MX$92.6

-46.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 $1.83

$3.70 MX$63.0

-50.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.16 $28.16

$5.98 MX$102

370.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.55 MX$26.40

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

$37.6K $37.6K

$22.3K MX$379.4K

68.21%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$25.9K MX$441.0K

1.18%

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

$259 $259

$89.1 MX$1,515

190.70%

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

$75.8 $75.8

$25.04 MX$426

202.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.3 $78.3

$31.50 MX$535

148.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,152

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

Cinema Ticket

$19.86 $19.86

$5.05 MX$85.8

293.27%

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

$1,715 $1,715

$225 MX$3,823

662.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.6K $32.6K

$4,222 MX$71.8K

672.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.6 $70.6

$47.44 MX$806

48.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 $56.7

$44.98 MX$764

26.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$82.0 MX$1,393

41.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$200 $200

$92.1 MX$1,565

116.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,294 $3,294

$1,069 MX$18.2K

208.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,632 $2,632

$405 MX$6,888

549.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,797 $4,797

$1,935 MX$32.9K

147.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,496 $3,496

$1,301 MX$22.1K

168.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,928 $4,928

$749 MX$12.7K

558.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.52

11.45

-43.06%

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

Last update for Glendale, CA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,294 in Glendale, CA and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Glendale, CA pays 558% 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: $99.0 in Glendale, CA vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $443 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

Glendale, CA vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 220% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 558% higher in Glendale, CA, 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: $3,294 in Glendale, CA versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 202% less than in Glendale, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,715 in Glendale, CA versus $225 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,138 in Glendale, CA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Glendale, CA. 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 Glendale, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Glendale, CA and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 220% less than in Glendale, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.