Cost of Living Comparison Between Huntington Beach, CA and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Huntington Beach, CA and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,601 in Huntington Beach, CA versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,869 in Huntington Beach, CA versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,137 in Huntington Beach, CA versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Huntington Beach, CA is roughly 186% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Huntington Beach, CA is 171% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.12 $20.12

$11.72 MX$204

71.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.9 $83.9

$41.89 MX$731

100.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.03 $12.03

$10.51 MX$183

14.46%

Cappuccino

$4.98 $4.98

$3.59 MX$62.5

38.72%

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

$2.78 $2.78

$1.51 MX$26.31

84.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.92 MX$15.96

123.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.21 $7.21

$2.96 MX$51.6

143.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.94 $7.94

$4.41 MX$76.9

80.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.40 MX$24.35

-15.00%

White Bread (500g)

$4.89 $4.89

$1.88 MX$32.87

160.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$1.56 MX$27.19

160.26%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$2.61 MX$45.50

86.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.46 $12.46

$8.32 MX$145

49.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.65 $11.65

$8.35 MX$146

39.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.41 $14.41

$10.86 MX$189

32.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$2.71 MX$47.31

58.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.51 MX$26.25

23.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$1.87 MX$32.67

102.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.62 $5.62

$2.19 MX$38.19

156.62%

Potato (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$1.86 MX$32.40

137.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.23 MX$38.90

32.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.07 MX$18.63

60.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.09 MX$18.94

86.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.34 $9.34

$4.19 MX$73.0

122.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.92 $14.92

$10.43 MX$182

43.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.66 MX$28.91

1.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 $4.67

$2.61 MX$45.56

78.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 $2.91

$0.54 MX$9.45

438.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.4 $50.4

$26.16 MX$456

92.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.05 $4.05

$3.08 MX$53.7

31.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.68 $2.68

$2.40 MX$41.94

11.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.73 $31.73

$3.13 MX$54.5

913.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.31 MX$22.87

-6.11%

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

$24.0K $24.0K

$29.8K MX$519.9K

-19.46%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$23.3K MX$406.8K

10.86%

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

$201 $201

$81.3 MX$1,418

147.70%

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

$53.4 $53.4

$22.56 MX$393

136.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.0 $71.0

$30.05 MX$524

136.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.30 $44.30

$52.9 MX$923

-16.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$13.96 $13.96

$4.92 MX$85.8

183.74%

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

$1,228 $1,228

$201 MX$3,502

511.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.7K $40.7K

$5,175 MX$90.2K

686.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 $58.5

$35.92 MX$627

62.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.47 $35.47

$40.13 MX$700

-11.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

$79.7 MX$1,390

6.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 $127

$86.5 MX$1,508

46.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,586 $2,586

$978 MX$17.1K

164.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,198 $2,198

$470 MX$8,206

367.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,986 $4,986

$1,651 MX$28.8K

201.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,289 $5,289

$1,203 MX$21.0K

339.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,173 $8,173

$3,953 MX$69.0K

106.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,060 $5,060

$6,607 MX$115.2K

-23.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,390 $5,390

$677 MX$11.8K

696.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.58

11.42

-42.38%

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

Last update for Huntington Beach, CA: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,586 in Huntington Beach, CA and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Huntington Beach, CA pays 697% 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: $84.0 in Huntington Beach, CA vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $252 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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 186% lower than in Huntington Beach, CA. 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 697% higher in Huntington Beach, CA, 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: $2,586 in Huntington Beach, CA versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 63% higher in Huntington Beach, CA. 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 $42.00 versus $84.0 in Huntington Beach, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,601 in Huntington Beach, CA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Huntington Beach, CA. 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 $1,260 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Huntington Beach, CA and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 186% less than in Huntington Beach, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.