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: $3,394 in Long Beach, CA versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,823 in Long Beach, CA versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,251 in Long Beach, CA versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Long Beach, CA is roughly 169% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Long Beach, CA is 155% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 $17.85

$11.72 MX$203

52.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.5 $81.5

$41.89 MX$725

94.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.15 $15.15

$10.51 MX$182

44.15%

Cappuccino

$5.25 $5.25

$3.59 MX$62.0

46.24%

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

$2.97 $2.97

$1.51 MX$26.10

96.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$0.92 MX$15.83

148.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.29 $7.29

$2.96 MX$51.2

146.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.08 $8.08

$4.41 MX$76.3

83.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.40 MX$24.16

-17.14%

White Bread (500g)

$4.27 $4.27

$1.88 MX$32.60

127.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$1.56 MX$26.97

175.00%

Eggs

$3.78 $3.78

$2.61 MX$45.14

44.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.14 $12.14

$8.32 MX$144

45.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.59 $12.59

$8.35 MX$145

50.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.68 $15.68

$10.86 MX$188

44.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$2.71 MX$46.93

63.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.51 MX$26.04

14.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$1.87 MX$32.41

119.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$2.19 MX$37.89

117.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.86 MX$32.14

64.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.23 MX$38.59

6.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.07 MX$18.48

91.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.09 MX$18.79

98.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.18 $11.18

$4.19 MX$72.4

166.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.30 $15.30

$10.43 MX$180

46.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.66 MX$28.68

6.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.61 MX$45.19

-2.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 $1.72

$0.54 MX$9.37

218.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.3 $70.3

$26.16 MX$453

168.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 $2.98

$3.08 MX$53.3

-3.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.32 $4.32

$2.40 MX$41.61

80.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.96 $27.96

$3.13 MX$54.1

793.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.31 MX$22.69

-6.11%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-15.17%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

13.82%

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

$157 $157

$81.3 MX$1,406

93.65%

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

$53.2 $53.2

$22.56 MX$390

135.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.4 $57.4

$30.05 MX$520

90.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.95 $38.95

$52.9 MX$915

-26.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$15.01 $15.01

$4.92 MX$85.1

205.08%

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

$1,489 $1,489

$201 MX$3,474

641.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.3K $28.3K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

446.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.46 $47.46

$35.92 MX$622

32.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.63 $33.63

$40.13 MX$694

-16.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 $99.1

$79.7 MX$1,379

24.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$86.5 MX$1,496

19.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,382 $2,382

$978 MX$16.9K

143.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 $2,107

$470 MX$8,140

347.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,595 $3,595

$1,651 MX$28.6K

117.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,379 $3,379

$1,203 MX$20.8K

180.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,089 $7,089

$3,953 MX$68.4K

79.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,918 $6,918

$6,607 MX$114.3K

4.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,313 $4,313

$677 MX$11.7K

537.44%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,382 in Long Beach, CA and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Long Beach, CA pays 537% 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: $82.0 in Long Beach, CA vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $398 vs $252 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 169% in total monthly costs ($3,394 vs $1,260 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 537% higher in Long Beach, CA, 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: $2,382 in Long Beach, CA versus $978 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 $42.00 versus $82.0 in Long Beach, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,394 per month in Long Beach, CA versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 169% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,394 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 169% less than in Long Beach, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.