Cost of Living Comparison Between Long Beach, CA and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Long Beach, CA and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,321 in Long Beach, CA versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,753 in Long Beach, CA versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,185 in Long Beach, CA versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Long Beach, CA is roughly 158% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Long Beach, CA is 148% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.04 $18.04

$11.94 MX$209

51.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.2 $80.2

$42.75 MX$748

87.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.71 $14.71

$10.59 MX$185

38.90%

Cappuccino

$5.08 $5.08

$3.62 MX$63.4

40.33%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$1.47 MX$25.69

107.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$0.94 MX$16.51

134.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.41 $7.41

$3.09 MX$54.1

139.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.96 $7.96

$4.46 MX$78.0

78.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.43 MX$24.94

-20.98%

White Bread (500g)

$4.11 $4.11

$1.88 MX$32.97

118.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$1.63 MX$28.50

166.87%

Eggs

$3.82 $3.82

$2.64 MX$46.26

44.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.36 $12.36

$8.21 MX$144

50.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.60 $12.60

$8.29 MX$145

51.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.15 $15.15

$11.10 MX$194

36.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$2.65 MX$46.40

73.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.50 MX$26.26

10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$1.99 MX$34.79

95.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$2.08 MX$36.33

129.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.79 MX$31.29

66.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.18 MX$38.09

11.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.08 MX$18.84

93.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.04 MX$18.15

108.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.95 $10.95

$3.97 MX$69.5

175.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.78 $14.78

$10.20 MX$179

44.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.73 MX$30.22

0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.50 MX$43.71

1.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 $1.78

$0.52 MX$9.07

242.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.2 $69.2

$26.97 MX$472

156.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 $2.96

$3.14 MX$55.0

-5.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.23 $4.23

$2.40 MX$42.04

76.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.93 $27.93

$3.09 MX$54.0

803.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.27 MX$22.28

-2.36%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-17.83%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

14.50%

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

$155 $155

$82.0 MX$1,435

88.57%

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

$53.2 $53.2

$22.45 MX$393

137.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 $58.1

$29.66 MX$519

96.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.66 $39.66

$51.9 MX$908

-23.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$14.88 $14.88

$4.97 MX$87.0

199.40%

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

$1,526 $1,526

$198 MX$3,462

671.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.3K $28.3K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

437.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.36 $48.36

$36.34 MX$636

33.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.20 $34.20

$40.05 MX$701

-14.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 $98.9

$79.9 MX$1,398

23.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$88.9 MX$1,555

13.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,380 $2,380

$963 MX$16.9K

147.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,123 $2,123

$465 MX$8,133

356.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,618 $3,618

$1,596 MX$27.9K

126.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,317 $3,317

$1,209 MX$21.2K

174.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,099 $7,099

$3,942 MX$69.0K

80.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,832 $6,832

$6,448 MX$112.8K

5.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,352 $4,352

$720 MX$12.6K

504.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

11.42

-44.05%

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

Last update for Long Beach, CA: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,380 in Long Beach, CA and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Long Beach, CA pays 504% 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: $80.0 in Long Beach, CA vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $394 vs $251 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

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

Long Beach, CA and Playa del Carmen differ by about 158% in total monthly costs ($3,321 vs $1,287 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Long Beach, CA pays 504% more on average, 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: $2,380 in Long Beach, CA versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $80.0 in Long Beach, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,321 per month in Long Beach, CA versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 158% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,321 in Long Beach, CA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Long Beach, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 158% less than in Long Beach, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.