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: $3,566 in Huntington Beach, CA versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,016 in Huntington Beach, CA versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,467 in Huntington Beach, CA versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Huntington Beach, CA is roughly 173% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Huntington Beach, CA is 159% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.25 $16.25

$11.96 MX$203

35.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$47.38 MX$804

112.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.28 $15.28

$11.75 MX$199

30.04%

Cappuccino

$6.05 $6.05

$4.12 MX$70.0

46.84%

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

$3.18 $3.18

$1.40 MX$23.74

127.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$0.91 MX$15.48

152.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.45 $7.45

$3.21 MX$54.4

132.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.02 $8.02

$7.07 MX$120

13.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.68 MX$28.44

-26.79%

White Bread (500g)

$4.65 $4.65

$2.15 MX$36.48

116.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$1.77 MX$30.10

150.85%

Eggs

$5.14 $5.14

$2.82 MX$47.76

82.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.54 $15.54

$9.20 MX$156

68.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.45 $17.45

$9.23 MX$157

89.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.54 $15.54

$12.64 MX$214

22.94%

Apples (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$2.95 MX$50.1

89.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.58 MX$26.79

9.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.26 $4.26

$2.22 MX$37.70

91.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.51 $6.51

$2.36 MX$40.09

175.85%

Potato (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$1.99 MX$33.81

116.08%

Onion (1kg)

$3.50 $3.50

$1.98 MX$33.58

76.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.24 MX$21.04

82.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.21 MX$20.55

88.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.79 $10.79

$4.60 MX$78.1

134.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 $14.89

$10.52 MX$178

41.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.69 MX$28.70

15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.77 MX$47.06

-12.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 $2.98

$0.60 MX$10.22

396.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.5 $50.5

$29.70 MX$504

69.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.57 $4.57

$5.24 MX$88.8

-12.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 $1.91

$3.65 MX$61.9

-47.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.67 $36.67

$5.78 MX$98.1

534.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.54 MX$26.09

-5.84%

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

$37.0K $37.0K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

62.15%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-0.38%

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

$238 $238

$90.7 MX$1,538

162.53%

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

$62.9 $62.9

$25.19 MX$427

149.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.6 $69.6

$31.75 MX$539

119.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.59 $45.59

$68.8 MX$1,167

-33.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$13.89 $13.89

$4.86 MX$82.5

185.80%

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

$1,449 $1,449

$226 MX$3,828

542.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.6K $37.6K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

796.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.3 $73.3

$47.38 MX$804

54.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.91 $40.91

$43.45 MX$737

-5.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 $80.7

$80.2 MX$1,361

0.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 $124

$91.4 MX$1,550

36.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,708 $2,708

$1,086 MX$18.4K

149.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,151 $2,151

$409 MX$6,933

426.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,906 $4,906

$1,972 MX$33.5K

148.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,236 $5,236

$1,281 MX$21.7K

308.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,049 $8,049

$4,046 MX$68.6K

98.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,051 $5,051

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-24.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,548 $5,548

$773 MX$13.1K

617.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

11.45

-45.50%

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

Last update for Huntington Beach, CA: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,708 in Huntington Beach, CA and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Huntington Beach, CA pays 617% 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: $101 in Huntington Beach, CA vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $466 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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 173% 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 617% 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: $2,708 in Huntington Beach, CA 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 68% 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 $47.00 versus $101 in Huntington Beach, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,566 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 $1,305 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 173% less than in Huntington Beach, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.