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 $2,069 per month in Johnson City, TN vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,019 per month in Johnson City, TN vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,968 per month in Johnson City, TN vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Johnson City, TN costs about 60% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Johnson City, TN sits 54% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.78 $12.78

$11.73 MX$203

8.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.26 $49.26

$41.62 MX$720

18.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.80 $11.80

$10.64 MX$184

10.90%

Cappuccino

$3.79 $3.79

$3.52 MX$60.9

7.67%

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

$2.10 $2.10

$1.51 MX$26.12

39.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$0.97 MX$16.84

79.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.06 $5.06

$2.95 MX$51.0

71.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 $5.85

$4.45 MX$77.0

31.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.38 MX$23.93

-27.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.83 $3.83

$1.89 MX$32.72

102.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.64 MX$28.32

86.59%

Eggs

$3.28 $3.28

$2.51 MX$43.34

30.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.49 $7.49

$8.34 MX$144

-10.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 $8.43

$8.34 MX$144

1.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.30 $13.30

$10.73 MX$186

23.95%

Apples (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$2.60 MX$45.04

54.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.46 MX$25.20

10.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$1.90 MX$32.87

108.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$2.08 MX$35.91

73.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.78 MX$30.71

37.08%

Onion (1kg)

$3.65 $3.65

$2.19 MX$37.80

66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.04 MX$17.99

78.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.08 MX$18.62

105.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.33 $7.33

$4.08 MX$70.6

79.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.20 $13.20

$10.32 MX$178

27.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.71 MX$29.61

-5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 $4.09

$2.58 MX$44.54

58.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 $2.56

$0.51 MX$8.81

401.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.08 $37.08

$26.46 MX$458

40.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 $5.40

$3.26 MX$56.4

65.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 $1.48

$2.49 MX$43.09

-40.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.1 $64.1

$3.25 MX$56.2

1872.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.31 MX$22.61

-40.46%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-1.23%

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

$22.4K $22.4K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-4.37%

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

$151 $151

$82.9 MX$1,433

81.84%

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

$74.6 $74.6

$22.22 MX$384

235.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 $52.1

$29.34 MX$507

77.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.39 $47.39

$51.6 MX$893

-8.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.31 $20.31

$18.32 MX$317

10.86%

Cinema Ticket

$12.94 $12.94

$5.07 MX$87.6

155.23%

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

$909 $909

$201 MX$3,473

352.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K $14.7K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

181.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.32 $39.32

$36.92 MX$639

6.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.77 $36.77

$39.79 MX$688

-7.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.7 $62.7

$78.5 MX$1,357

-20.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$87.1 MX$1,506

33.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,182 $1,182

$973 MX$16.8K

21.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 $1,023

$468 MX$8,090

118.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 $2,035

$1,641 MX$28.4K

24.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,636 $1,636

$1,221 MX$21.1K

34.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,156 $2,156

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-45.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,218 $2,218

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-65.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,409 $3,409

$664 MX$11.5K

413.40%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,182 in Johnson City, TN versus $973 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 413% 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 $49.00 in Johnson City, TN versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 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 60%, 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 $3,104 per month in Johnson City, TN and $1,945 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 $49.00 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 $2,069 in Johnson City, TN and $1,297 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 $1,297, than in Johnson City, TN at $2,069. 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.