Cost of Living Comparison Between Katy, TX and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Katy, TX and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,798 per month in Katy, TX vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,659 per month in Katy, TX vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,520 per month in Katy, TX vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Katy, TX costs about 121% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Katy, TX sits 105% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.21 $17.21

$11.60 MX$200

48.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.0 $60.0

$47.11 MX$811

27.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.91 $8.91

$11.88 MX$205

-25.00%

Cappuccino

$3.51 $3.51

$3.98 MX$68.5

-11.81%

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

$1.98 $1.98

$1.43 MX$24.57

38.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 $2.07

$0.82 MX$14.20

152.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.97 $3.97

$3.19 MX$54.9

24.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.34 $5.34

$6.79 MX$117

-21.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.68 MX$28.85

-36.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.54 $3.54

$2.20 MX$37.83

60.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.71 MX$29.41

73.10%

Eggs

$3.03 $3.03

$2.74 MX$47.20

10.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.68 $12.68

$9.58 MX$165

32.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.43 $9.43

$9.01 MX$155

4.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.97 $16.97

$12.81 MX$221

32.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 $3.73

$2.89 MX$49.74

29.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.50 MX$25.78

-18.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.15 MX$36.98

42.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.26 MX$38.91

44.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.98 MX$34.10

11.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.99 MX$34.26

19.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.23 MX$21.25

47.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.20 MX$20.60

5.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.68 $9.68

$4.55 MX$78.3

112.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.75 $12.75

$10.37 MX$179

22.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.62 MX$27.88

5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.88 MX$49.60

-38.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.57 $4.57

$0.60 MX$10.34

661.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.5 $91.5

$28.80 MX$496

217.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$5.39 MX$92.8

-49.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$3.73 MX$64.2

-55.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.33 $34.33

$5.77 MX$99.3

494.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.54 MX$26.45

-46.75%

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

$36.3K $36.3K

$22.5K MX$388.3K

60.92%

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

$23.8K $23.8K

$26.1K MX$448.7K

-8.65%

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

$231 $231

$91.4 MX$1,573

152.32%

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

$56.9 $56.9

$25.20 MX$434

125.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.2 $67.2

$31.24 MX$538

115.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.78 $30.78

$67.2 MX$1,157

-54.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.92 $24.92

$29.11 MX$501

-14.39%

Cinema Ticket

$12.74 $12.74

$4.86 MX$83.7

162.14%

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

$1,005 $1,005

$224 MX$3,851

349.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.9K $19.9K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

370.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.4 $51.4

$47.10 MX$811

9.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.85 $41.85

$44.29 MX$763

-5.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

$80.1 MX$1,379

6.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$92.7 MX$1,596

11.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,647 $1,647

$1,063 MX$18.3K

55.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,543 $1,543

$390 MX$6,719

295.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,419 $2,419

$2,149 MX$37.0K

12.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,913 $1,913

$1,272 MX$21.9K

50.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,056 $2,056

$4,001 MX$68.9K

-48.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 $1,697

$6,502 MX$112.0K

-73.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,770 $5,770

$758 MX$13.1K

661.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.26

11.45

-45.33%

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

Last update for Katy, TX: September 15, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,647 in Katy, TX versus $1,063 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 661% higher in Katy, TX, 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 $60.0 in Katy, TX versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $276 – 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

Katy, TX vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Katy, TX costs about 121% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,197 per month in Katy, TX and $1,899 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.

Groceries cost about 20% more in Katy, TX, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Katy, TX and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Katy, TX at $2,798. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Katy, TX it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,266 versus $2,798 in Katy, TX. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Katy, TX makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.