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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,907 per month in Highland, CA vs $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,350 per month in Highland, CA vs $2,336 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,793 per month in Highland, CA vs $3,341 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Highland, CA costs about 119% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Highland, CA sits 112% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.86 $24.86

$13.02 MX$221

90.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$46.25 MX$784

119.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.86 $14.86

$12.59 MX$213

18.03%

Cappuccino

$5.93 $5.93

$4.00 MX$67.9

48.25%

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

$3.52 $3.52

$1.42 MX$24.08

147.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$0.81 MX$13.73

243.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.98 $7.98

$3.05 MX$51.7

161.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.93 $11.93

$6.82 MX$116

74.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.71 MX$29.04

-11.70%

White Bread (500g)

$4.20 $4.20

$2.22 MX$37.62

89.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.96 $6.96

$1.72 MX$29.13

304.65%

Eggs

$4.90 $4.90

$2.71 MX$45.99

80.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.71 $20.71

$9.37 MX$159

121.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.72 $14.72

$8.86 MX$150

66.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.45 $22.45

$12.78 MX$217

75.67%

Apples (1kg)

$8.47 $8.47

$3.13 MX$53.0

170.61%

Banana (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$1.55 MX$26.24

108.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.29 $6.29

$2.15 MX$36.51

192.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$10.21 $10.21

$2.35 MX$39.89

334.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.02 MX$34.23

38.12%

Onion (1kg)

$4.85 $4.85

$1.99 MX$33.67

143.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.52 $3.52

$1.24 MX$21.09

183.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.19 MX$20.21

135.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.66 $11.66

$4.65 MX$78.8

150.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.92 $15.92

$10.47 MX$177

52.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.58 MX$26.82

43.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 $4.44

$2.92 MX$49.48

52.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.56 MX$9.53

255.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.59 $30.59

$29.76 MX$504

2.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$5.32 MX$90.2

-45.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 $2.45

$3.72 MX$63.0

-34.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.0 $59.0

$5.78 MX$97.9

920.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.55 MX$26.27

-11.61%

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

$36.9K $36.9K

$22.4K MX$379.1K

64.85%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$25.6K MX$433.3K

0.17%

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

$271 $271

$89.3 MX$1,513

203.72%

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

$82.2 $82.2

$23.30 MX$395

252.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.2 $66.2

$31.72 MX$538

108.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.99 $40.99

$68.8 MX$1,165

-40.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$12.95 $12.95

$5.06 MX$85.7

155.93%

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

$1,425 $1,425

$222 MX$3,765

541.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.8K $36.8K

$4,293 MX$72.7K

758.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.5 $88.5

$46.21 MX$783

91.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.93 $45.93

$44.43 MX$753

3.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 $94.3

$95.5 MX$1,618

-1.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$92.5 MX$1,568

52.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 $1,612

$1,069 MX$18.1K

50.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 $1,290

$393 MX$6,663

228.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,988 MX$33.7K

26.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,116 $2,116

$1,304 MX$22.1K

62.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,752 $2,752

$4,037 MX$68.4K

-31.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,407 $2,407

$6,627 MX$112.3K

-63.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

11.6

-46.21%

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

Last update for Highland, CA: August 17, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,612 in Highland, CA 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $102 in Highland, CA versus $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $563 vs $277 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,907 in Highland, CA, $1,330 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 119% apart. Highland, CA costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,360 per month in Highland, CA and $1,995 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $102 in Highland, CA and $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,907 in Highland, CA and $1,330 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,330, than in Highland, CA at $2,907. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Highland, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,330 in Playa del Carmen to $2,907 in Highland, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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