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: $3,387 in Long Beach, CA versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,835 in Long Beach, CA versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,283 in Long Beach, CA versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Long Beach, CA is roughly 167% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Long Beach, CA is 152% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.31 $18.31

$11.87 MX$204

54.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.2 $79.2

$42.90 MX$736

84.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.96 $14.96

$10.65 MX$183

40.47%

Cappuccino

$5.25 $5.25

$3.45 MX$59.2

52.17%

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

$2.91 $2.91

$1.50 MX$25.81

94.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.95 MX$16.28

133.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.44 $7.44

$3.03 MX$51.9

145.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.20 $8.20

$4.61 MX$79.1

77.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.38 MX$23.61

-15.22%

White Bread (500g)

$4.25 $4.25

$1.85 MX$31.70

129.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$1.61 MX$27.65

173.91%

Eggs

$3.70 $3.70

$2.59 MX$44.51

42.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.27 $12.27

$8.26 MX$142

48.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.86 $12.86

$8.37 MX$144

53.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.23 $15.23

$10.66 MX$183

42.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$2.63 MX$45.12

69.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.49 MX$25.53

12.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$1.92 MX$32.94

110.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$2.09 MX$35.81

124.40%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.86 MX$31.88

65.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.26 MX$38.81

9.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.06 MX$18.23

89.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.09 MX$18.67

95.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.97 $10.97

$4.15 MX$71.2

164.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.92 $14.92

$10.39 MX$178

43.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.72 MX$29.59

5.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.61 MX$44.85

-5.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.54 MX$9.30

225.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.6 $69.6

$26.94 MX$462

158.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.13 MX$53.7

-2.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.41 $4.41

$2.51 MX$43.09

75.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.58 $27.58

$3.15 MX$54.1

775.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.27 MX$21.88

2.36%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-14.64%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

13.30%

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

$160 $160

$83.0 MX$1,425

93.00%

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

$54.5 $54.5

$22.71 MX$390

140.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 $57.9

$29.46 MX$506

96.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.63 $39.63

$51.0 MX$875

-22.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$14.98 $14.98

$4.93 MX$84.5

203.85%

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

$1,487 $1,487

$197 MX$3,386

653.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.7K $28.7K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

443.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.73 $46.73

$36.90 MX$633

26.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.40 $34.40

$39.89 MX$685

-13.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$80.0 MX$1,373

25.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$89.5 MX$1,536

15.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,359 $2,359

$956 MX$16.4K

146.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 $2,049

$477 MX$8,189

329.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,713 $3,713

$1,646 MX$28.3K

125.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,432 $3,432

$1,225 MX$21.0K

180.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,010 $7,010

$3,918 MX$67.2K

78.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,030 $7,030

$6,459 MX$110.9K

8.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,437 $4,437

$667 MX$11.4K

565.18%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,359 in Long Beach, CA and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Long Beach, CA pays 565% 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: $79.0 in Long Beach, CA vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $250 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 167% in total monthly costs ($3,387 vs $1,271 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 565% 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: $2,359 in Long Beach, CA versus $956 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 $79.0 in Long Beach, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,387 per month in Long Beach, CA versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 167% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,387 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 167% less than in Long Beach, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.