Cost of Living Comparison Between Johnson City, TN and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Johnson City, TN and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,089 per month in Johnson City, TN vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,017 per month in Johnson City, TN vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,945 per month in Johnson City, TN vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Johnson City, TN costs about 66% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Johnson City, TN sits 56% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.03 $13.03

$11.99 MX$210

8.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.4 $50.4

$41.78 MX$733

20.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.01 $12.01

$10.75 MX$189

11.72%

Cappuccino

$3.78 $3.78

$3.50 MX$61.3

8.00%

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

$2.17 $2.17

$1.45 MX$25.41

49.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$0.88 MX$15.52

95.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.08 $5.08

$2.95 MX$51.7

72.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 $5.97

$4.51 MX$79.1

32.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.43 MX$25.12

-30.77%

White Bread (500g)

$3.70 $3.70

$1.84 MX$32.23

101.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.57 MX$27.51

101.91%

Eggs

$3.27 $3.27

$2.51 MX$44.06

30.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.48 $7.48

$8.28 MX$145

-9.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.64 $8.64

$8.43 MX$148

2.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.24 $13.24

$10.68 MX$187

23.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.17 $4.17

$2.61 MX$45.76

59.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.44 MX$25.22

10.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$1.96 MX$34.41

99.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.09 MX$36.74

66.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.85 MX$32.47

28.65%

Onion (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$2.17 MX$38.02

70.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.03 MX$18.09

76.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.07 MX$18.84

105.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.62 $7.62

$4.10 MX$72.0

85.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.96 $12.96

$10.17 MX$178

27.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.68 MX$29.38

-4.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 $3.94

$2.53 MX$44.31

55.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$0.51 MX$8.93

386.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.34 $37.34

$26.04 MX$457

43.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 $5.60

$3.23 MX$56.7

73.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$2.41 MX$42.19

-41.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.0 $64.0

$3.23 MX$56.6

1881.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$1.32 MX$23.17

-40.15%

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

$30.3K $30.3K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

1.99%

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

$22.4K $22.4K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-5.36%

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

$148 $148

$82.0 MX$1,439

79.94%

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

$75.2 $75.2

$22.95 MX$403

227.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.4 $52.4

$30.11 MX$528

73.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.69 $46.69

$52.0 MX$912

-10.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.97 $19.97

$18.53 MX$325

7.77%

Cinema Ticket

$12.87 $12.87

$4.98 MX$87.3

158.43%

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

$902 $902

$197 MX$3,463

356.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K $14.5K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

172.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.62 $38.62

$35.60 MX$624

8.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.02 $37.02

$40.33 MX$707

-8.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.6 $63.6

$78.8 MX$1,381

-19.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$88.9 MX$1,560

30.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 $1,223

$947 MX$16.6K

29.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,004 $1,004

$474 MX$8,314

111.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,052 $2,052

$1,644 MX$28.8K

24.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,624 $1,624

$1,211 MX$21.2K

34.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,144 $2,144

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-47.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,192 $2,192

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-66.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,480 $3,480

$654 MX$11.5K

432.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.15

11.42

-46.15%

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

Last update for Johnson City, TN: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,223 in Johnson City, TN versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 432% higher in Johnson City, TN, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Johnson City, TN versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $249 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Johnson City, TN vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Johnson City, TN is pricier by about 66%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,133 per month in Johnson City, TN and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Johnson City, TN and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,089 in Johnson City, TN and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Johnson City, TN at $2,089. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Johnson City, TN it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Johnson City, TN makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.