Cost of Living Comparison Between Great Falls, MT and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Great Falls, MT and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,183 per month in Great Falls, MT vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,070 per month in Great Falls, MT vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,957 per month in Great Falls, MT vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Great Falls, MT costs about 69% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Great Falls, MT sits 59% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 $11.73

$11.71 MX$198

0.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.13 $37.13

$46.59 MX$786

-20.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.34 $9.34

$11.65 MX$197

-19.83%

Cappuccino

$4.13 $4.13

$4.09 MX$69.1

0.98%

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

$2.29 $2.29

$1.37 MX$23.20

67.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.83 MX$14.07

136.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 $5.86

$3.35 MX$56.6

74.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 $5.94

$6.91 MX$117

-14.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.73 MX$29.15

-35.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.26 MX$38.15

53.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.09 $5.09

$1.77 MX$29.86

187.57%

Eggs

$3.10 $3.10

$2.73 MX$46.12

13.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.08 $17.08

$9.18 MX$155

86.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.24 $11.24

$8.92 MX$151

26.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 $11.93

$12.60 MX$213

-5.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$3.02 MX$51.0

56.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.57 MX$26.51

-11.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.13 MX$35.88

96.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.26 MX$38.22

-5.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.00 MX$33.82

21.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.06 MX$34.85

41.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.18 MX$19.91

101.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$1.20 MX$20.32

177.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.46 $8.46

$4.63 MX$78.2

82.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 $17.78

$10.69 MX$180

66.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.62 MX$27.33

20.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.88 MX$48.63

55.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.43 $30.43

$29.83 MX$503

2.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.39 $6.39

$5.45 MX$91.9

17.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 $1.41

$3.70 MX$62.5

-61.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.63 $39.63

$5.98 MX$101

562.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.55 MX$26.22

-38.71%

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

$33.2K $33.2K

$22.3K MX$376.8K

48.49%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.9K MX$438.0K

0.65%

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

$130 $130

$89.1 MX$1,504

46.34%

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

$39.83 $39.83

$25.04 MX$423

59.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 $69.1

$31.50 MX$532

119.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.1 $63.1

$67.8 MX$1,144

-6.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

Cinema Ticket

$11.62 $11.62

$5.05 MX$85.2

130.10%

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

$915 $915

$225 MX$3,797

306.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K $14.1K

$4,222 MX$71.3K

233.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.31 $25.31

$47.44 MX$801

-46.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.53 $30.53

$44.98 MX$759

-32.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.6 $80.6

$82.0 MX$1,384

-1.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.1 $65.1

$92.1 MX$1,555

-29.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,402 $1,402

$1,069 MX$18.0K

31.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,109 $1,109

$405 MX$6,842

173.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,640 $2,640

$1,935 MX$32.7K

36.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 $1,644

$1,301 MX$22.0K

26.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,123 $2,123

$3,995 MX$67.4K

-46.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,048 $2,048

$6,626 MX$111.8K

-69.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,512 $3,512

$749 MX$12.6K

369.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

11.45

-46.90%

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

Last update for Great Falls, MT: September 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,402 in Great Falls, MT versus $1,069 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 369% higher in Great Falls, MT, 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 $37.00 in Great Falls, MT versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $398 in Great Falls, MT vs $277 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Great Falls, MT vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Great Falls, MT costs about 69% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,274 per month in Great Falls, MT and $1,940 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 44% more in Great Falls, MT, 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 $37.00 in Great Falls, MT and $47.00 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 $1,293, than in Great Falls, MT at $2,183. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Great Falls, MT it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,293 versus $2,183 in Great Falls, MT. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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