Cost of Living Comparison Between Houma, LA and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Houma, LA and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,370 per month in Houma, LA vs $1,262 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,423 per month in Houma, LA vs $2,158 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,477 per month in Houma, LA vs $3,054 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Houma, LA costs about 88% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Houma, LA sits 76% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.86 $14.86

$11.61 MX$201

27.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.09 $49.09

$42.75 MX$742

14.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.10 $10.10

$10.60 MX$184

-4.72%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$3.59 MX$62.3

55.71%

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

$2.04 $2.04

$1.45 MX$25.21

40.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.90 MX$15.58

117.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.03 MX$52.6

4.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.82 $4.82

$4.56 MX$79.2

5.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.45 MX$25.20

-24.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.83 MX$31.72

59.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.61 MX$27.92

47.20%

Eggs

$1.72 $1.72

$2.54 MX$44.05

-32.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 $10.55

$8.54 MX$148

23.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.26 $11.26

$8.47 MX$147

32.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.19 $15.19

$10.86 MX$189

39.87%

Apples (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.73 MX$47.37

94.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.49 MX$25.91

-16.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$1.94 MX$33.73

177.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$2.16 MX$37.57

83.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.85 MX$32.05

17.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.19 MX$38.00

27.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.07 MX$18.62

83.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.08 MX$18.81

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.58 $8.58

$4.06 MX$70.5

111.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 $13.11

$10.46 MX$182

25.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.65 MX$28.71

16.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.55 MX$44.23

9.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.56 MX$9.65

258.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.20 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 $3.91

$3.14 MX$54.5

24.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 $1.27

$2.37 MX$41.17

-46.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.4 $60.4

$3.24 MX$56.2

1763.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 $0.75

$1.31 MX$22.81

-42.75%

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

$37.0K $37.0K

$30.5K MX$530.2K

21.22%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$23.8K MX$413.6K

5.26%

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

$137 $137

$83.1 MX$1,443

64.75%

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

$45.01 $45.01

$22.15 MX$385

103.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.45 $47.45

$29.37 MX$510

61.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.14 $27.14

$51.2 MX$889

-46.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 MX$324

Cinema Ticket

$12.11 $12.11

$4.89 MX$84.9

147.65%

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

$1,288 $1,288

$199 MX$3,449

548.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,920 $9,920

$5,207 MX$90.4K

90.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.59 $35.59

$35.93 MX$624

-0.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.92 $41.92

$39.39 MX$684

6.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 $72.3

$80.3 MX$1,394

-10.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.1 $77.1

$87.6 MX$1,520

-11.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,017 $1,017

$963 MX$16.7K

5.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 $1,378

$482 MX$8,370

185.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,661 $2,661

$1,645 MX$28.6K

61.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,187 $2,187

$1,192 MX$20.7K

83.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,457 $1,457

$3,957 MX$68.7K

-63.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,448 $1,448

$6,513 MX$113.1K

-77.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,797 $3,797

$726 MX$12.6K

422.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.61

11.42

-42.12%

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

Last update for Houma, LA: April 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,017 in Houma, LA versus $963 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 423% higher in Houma, LA, 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 $49 in Houma, LA versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $348 vs $253 – 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

Houma, LA vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Houma, LA is pricier by about 88%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,555 per month in Houma, LA and $1,894 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,370 in Houma, LA and $1,262 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,288 per month in Houma, LA and $199 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,262, than in Houma, LA at $2,370. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Houma, LA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Houma, LA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.