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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,746 in Houston, TX versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,895 in Houston, TX versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,045 in Houston, TX versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Houston, TX is roughly 110% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Houston, TX is 99% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.92 $19.92

$11.96 MX$203

66.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.5 $75.5

$47.38 MX$804

59.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 $10.11

$11.75 MX$199

-13.96%

Cappuccino

$5.42 $5.42

$4.12 MX$70.0

31.55%

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

$2.72 $2.72

$1.40 MX$23.74

94.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$0.91 MX$15.48

139.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.17 $6.17

$3.21 MX$54.4

92.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$7.07 MX$120

11.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.68 MX$28.44

-48.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 $3.38

$2.15 MX$36.48

57.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.25 $4.25

$1.77 MX$30.10

140.11%

Eggs

$3.35 $3.35

$2.82 MX$47.76

18.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.64 $12.64

$9.20 MX$156

37.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.71 $12.71

$9.23 MX$157

37.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.28 $16.28

$12.64 MX$214

28.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$2.95 MX$50.1

47.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.58 MX$26.79

-10.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.22 MX$37.70

32.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.32 $3.32

$2.36 MX$40.09

40.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.99 MX$33.81

20.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.84 $2.84

$1.98 MX$33.58

43.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.24 MX$21.04

50.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 $2.61

$1.21 MX$20.55

115.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.51 $9.51

$4.60 MX$78.1

106.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.50 $14.50

$10.52 MX$178

37.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.69 MX$28.70

49.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.77 MX$47.06

9.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.60 MX$10.22

113.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.2 $76.2

$29.70 MX$504

156.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 $2.98

$5.24 MX$88.8

-43.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 $1.47

$3.65 MX$61.9

-59.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.55 $23.55

$5.78 MX$98.1

307.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.54 MX$26.09

-38.96%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

57.69%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

5.22%

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

$199 $199

$90.7 MX$1,538

119.55%

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

$62.6 $62.6

$25.19 MX$427

148.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.8 $74.8

$31.75 MX$539

135.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.06 $40.06

$68.8 MX$1,167

-41.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.53 $20.53

$29.37 MX$498

-30.10%

Cinema Ticket

$14.83 $14.83

$4.86 MX$82.5

205.14%

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

$2,202 $2,202

$226 MX$3,828

875.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.9K $21.9K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

421.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.34 $49.34

$47.38 MX$804

4.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.55 $46.55

$43.45 MX$737

7.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 $106

$80.2 MX$1,361

32.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.3 $94.3

$91.4 MX$1,550

3.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,670 $1,670

$1,086 MX$18.4K

53.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,416 $1,416

$409 MX$6,933

246.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,096 $3,096

$1,972 MX$33.5K

56.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,209 $2,209

$1,281 MX$21.7K

72.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,426 $2,426

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-40.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,804 $1,804

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-73.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,285 $4,285

$773 MX$13.1K

454.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.2

11.45

-45.85%

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

Last update for Houston, TX: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,670 in Houston, TX and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Houston, TX pays 454% 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: $75.0 in Houston, TX vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $381 vs $278 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, TX vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 110% lower than in Houston, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 454% higher in Houston, TX, 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: $1,670 in Houston, TX versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Houston, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $75.0 in Houston, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,746 in Houston, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Houston, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,305 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 110% less than in Houston, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.