Cost of Living Comparison Between La Crosse, WI and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between La Crosse, WI and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,218 per month in La Crosse, WI vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,472 per month in La Crosse, WI vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,726 per month in La Crosse, WI vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

La Crosse, WI costs about 75% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

La Crosse, WI sits 65% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.05 $13.05

$11.87 MX$204

9.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.1 $84.1

$42.90 MX$736

96.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.76 $11.76

$10.65 MX$183

10.42%

Cappuccino

$6.09 $6.09

$3.45 MX$59.2

76.52%

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

$2.99 $2.99

$1.50 MX$25.81

99.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$0.95 MX$16.28

142.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.26 $6.26

$3.03 MX$51.9

106.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 $7.07

$4.61 MX$79.1

53.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.38 MX$23.61

-40.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.85 MX$31.70

15.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$1.61 MX$27.65

242.24%

Eggs

$4.05 $4.05

$2.59 MX$44.51

56.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.62 $5.62

$8.26 MX$142

-31.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.43 $14.43

$8.37 MX$144

72.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 $18.04

$10.66 MX$183

69.23%

Apples (1kg)

$6.43 $6.43

$2.63 MX$45.12

144.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.49 MX$25.53

18.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.92 MX$32.94

11.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.09 MX$35.81

59.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.86 MX$31.88

18.82%

Onion (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$2.26 MX$38.81

64.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.06 MX$18.23

121.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.09 MX$18.67

83.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.11 $12.11

$4.15 MX$71.2

191.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.85 $15.85

$10.39 MX$178

52.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.72 MX$29.59

1.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.61 MX$44.85

-21.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.54 MX$9.30

185.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.28 $35.28

$26.94 MX$462

30.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 $4.62

$3.13 MX$53.7

47.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$2.51 MX$43.09

-37.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.35 $24.35

$3.15 MX$54.1

673.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.27 MX$21.88

-36.22%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-2.57%

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

$24.3K $24.3K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

2.95%

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

$161 $161

$83.0 MX$1,425

94.08%

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

$50.9 $50.9

$22.71 MX$390

123.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.6 $66.6

$29.46 MX$506

126.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.78 $40.78

$51.0 MX$875

-20.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.03 $4.03

$18.33 MX$315

-78.01%

Cinema Ticket

$11.89 $11.89

$4.93 MX$84.5

141.18%

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

$1,594 $1,594

$197 MX$3,386

707.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.5K $26.5K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

402.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.2 $63.2

$36.90 MX$633

71.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.63 $43.63

$39.89 MX$685

9.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 $86.3

$80.0 MX$1,373

7.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$89.5 MX$1,536

32.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$773 $773

$956 MX$16.4K

-19.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,015 $1,015

$477 MX$8,189

112.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,240 $2,240

$1,646 MX$28.3K

36.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 $1,984

$1,225 MX$21.0K

62.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,945 $1,945

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-50.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,878 $1,878

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-70.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,460 $4,460

$667 MX$11.4K

568.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

11.42

-42.99%

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

Last update for La Crosse, WI: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $773 in La Crosse, WI versus $956 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 569% higher in La Crosse, WI, 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 $84.0 in La Crosse, WI versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $371 vs $250 – 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

La Crosse, WI vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,218 in La Crosse, WI, $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 75% apart. La Crosse, WI costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,327 per month in La Crosse, WI and $1,906 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 48% more in La Crosse, WI, 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 $84.0 in La Crosse, WI and $43.00 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 $1,271, than in La Crosse, WI at $2,218. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in La Crosse, WI it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,271 in Playa del Carmen to $2,218 in La Crosse, WI. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, La Crosse, WI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.