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: $3,624 in Huntington Beach, CA versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,934 in Huntington Beach, CA versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,244 in Huntington Beach, CA versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Huntington Beach, CA is roughly 182% more expensive than 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 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.28 $20.28

$11.94 MX$208

69.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.8 $85.8

$42.75 MX$744

100.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.17 $12.17

$10.59 MX$184

14.92%

Cappuccino

$5.12 $5.12

$3.62 MX$63.0

41.44%

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

$2.70 $2.70

$1.47 MX$25.54

83.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$0.94 MX$16.41

125.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 $7.17

$3.09 MX$53.8

132.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.22 $8.22

$4.46 MX$77.6

84.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.43 MX$24.80

-13.29%

White Bread (500g)

$4.85 $4.85

$1.88 MX$32.79

157.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$1.63 MX$28.34

147.85%

Eggs

$4.90 $4.90

$2.64 MX$45.99

85.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.36 $12.36

$8.21 MX$143

50.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.35 $11.35

$8.29 MX$144

36.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.28 $14.28

$11.10 MX$193

28.65%

Apples (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$2.65 MX$46.14

59.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.50 MX$26.11

26.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 $3.92

$1.99 MX$34.59

96.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.68 $5.68

$2.08 MX$36.13

173.08%

Potato (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$1.79 MX$31.11

144.13%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.18 MX$37.87

39.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.08 MX$18.73

59.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.04 MX$18.04

97.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.33 $9.33

$3.97 MX$69.1

135.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 $15.10

$10.20 MX$178

48.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.73 MX$30.04

-1.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 $4.59

$2.50 MX$43.46

83.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 $2.94

$0.52 MX$9.02

465.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.66 $49.66

$26.97 MX$469

84.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.97 $3.97

$3.14 MX$54.7

26.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.40 MX$41.80

15.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.62 $31.62

$3.09 MX$53.7

923.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.27 MX$22.16

-2.36%

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

$23.7K $23.7K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-23.17%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

8.43%

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

$204 $204

$82.0 MX$1,427

148.68%

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

$53.3 $53.3

$22.45 MX$391

137.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.5 $71.5

$29.66 MX$516

141.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.44 $44.44

$51.9 MX$903

-14.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$14.16 $14.16

$4.97 MX$86.5

184.91%

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

$1,216 $1,216

$198 MX$3,442

514.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.6K $39.6K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

650.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 $58.0

$36.34 MX$632

59.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.35 $35.35

$40.05 MX$697

-11.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$79.9 MX$1,390

6.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 $125

$88.9 MX$1,547

40.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,546 $2,546

$963 MX$16.8K

164.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,180 $2,180

$465 MX$8,086

369.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,090 $5,090

$1,596 MX$27.8K

218.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,290 $5,290

$1,209 MX$21.0K

337.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,059 $8,059

$3,942 MX$68.6K

104.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,175 $5,175

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-19.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,507 $5,507

$720 MX$12.5K

664.49%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,546 in Huntington Beach, CA and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Huntington Beach, CA pays 664% 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: $86.0 in Huntington Beach, CA vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $409 vs $251 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 182% 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.

Huntington Beach, CA pays 664% more on average, 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: $2,546 in Huntington Beach, CA versus $963 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 $43.00 versus $86.0 in Huntington Beach, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,624 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 $1,287 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 182% less than in Huntington Beach, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.