Cost of Living Comparison Between Houston, MO and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Houston, MO and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,671 in Houston, MO versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,970 in Houston, MO versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,268 in Houston, MO versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Houston, MO is roughly 107% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Houston, MO is 94% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.71 $17.71

$11.71 MX$198

51.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.7 $77.7

$46.59 MX$788

66.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.83 $11.83

$11.65 MX$197

1.55%

Cappuccino

$5.23 $5.23

$4.09 MX$69.2

27.87%

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

$2.50 $2.50

$1.37 MX$23.23

82.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 $1.67

$0.83 MX$14.09

101.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.66 $5.66

$3.35 MX$56.7

68.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.90 $6.90

$6.91 MX$117

-0.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.73 MX$29.20

-27.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 $3.84

$2.26 MX$38.21

69.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$1.77 MX$29.91

235.59%

Eggs

$4.01 $4.01

$2.73 MX$46.19

46.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.15 $13.15

$9.18 MX$155

43.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.69 $15.69

$8.92 MX$151

75.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.79 $20.79

$12.60 MX$213

65.00%

Apples (1kg)

$8.47 $8.47

$3.02 MX$51.1

180.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.57 MX$26.55

48.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.60 $5.60

$2.13 MX$35.93

162.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$2.26 MX$38.28

128.32%

Potato (1kg)

$4.25 $4.25

$2.00 MX$33.88

112.50%

Onion (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$2.06 MX$34.90

136.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 $2.84

$1.18 MX$19.94

140.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 $2.90

$1.20 MX$20.35

141.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.93 $7.93

$4.63 MX$78.4

71.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.25 $15.25

$10.69 MX$181

42.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 $2.83

$1.62 MX$27.38

74.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.88 MX$48.70

17.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.83 $1.83

$0.57 MX$9.69

221.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 $3.60

$5.45 MX$92.1

-33.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$3.70 MX$62.6

-58.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.77 $40.77

$5.98 MX$101

581.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.55 MX$26.26

-43.23%

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

$35.6K $35.6K

$22.3K MX$377.4K

59.38%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

-2.91%

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

$247 $247

$89.1 MX$1,507

177.27%

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

$69.9 $69.9

$25.04 MX$423

179.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.3 $75.3

$31.50 MX$532

138.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.25 $43.25

$67.8 MX$1,146

-36.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$13.93 $13.93

$5.05 MX$85.4

175.84%

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

$1,410 $1,410

$225 MX$3,803

526.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.2K $24.2K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

473.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 $59.7

$47.44 MX$802

25.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.36 $43.36

$44.98 MX$760

-3.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 $88.0

$82.0 MX$1,386

7.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$92.1 MX$1,557

28.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,354 $1,354

$1,069 MX$18.1K

26.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,315 $1,315

$405 MX$6,852

224.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,474 $2,474

$1,935 MX$32.7K

27.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,124 $2,124

$1,301 MX$22.0K

63.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,441 $2,441

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-38.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,345 $2,345

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-64.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.09

11.45

-46.81%

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

Last update for Houston, MO: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,354 in Houston, MO and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $78.0 in Houston, MO vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $496 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

Houston, MO vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear. The 107% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $4,007 in Houston, MO and $1,940 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,354 in Houston, MO versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,410 in Houston, MO versus $225 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $78.0 in Houston, MO. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,671 in Houston, MO, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Houston, MO. 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 Houston, MO, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 107% less than in Houston, MO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.