Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Ángeles and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Ángeles and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,101 per month in Los Ángeles vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,668 per month in Los Ángeles vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,234 per month in Los Ángeles vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Los Ángeles is about 14% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Los Ángeles and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Los Ángeles 18% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.58 CLP 7,683

$11.94 MX$208

-28.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.15 CLP 39.5K

$42.75 MX$744

3.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.01 CLP 7,171

$10.59 MX$184

-24.36%

Cappuccino

$2.70 CLP 2,417

$3.62 MX$63.0

-25.41%

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

$1.32 CLP 1,181

$1.47 MX$25.54

-10.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 CLP 957

$0.94 MX$16.41

13.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 CLP 2,971

$3.09 MX$53.8

7.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 CLP 3,651

$4.46 MX$77.6

-8.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 CLP 1,097

$1.43 MX$24.80

-14.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 CLP 1,400

$1.88 MX$32.79

-17.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 CLP 1,665

$1.63 MX$28.34

14.11%

Eggs

$3.59 CLP 3,213

$2.64 MX$45.99

35.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.53 CLP 9,432

$8.21 MX$143

28.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.75 CLP 6,043

$8.29 MX$144

-18.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.81 CLP 9,686

$11.10 MX$193

-2.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 CLP 1,647

$2.65 MX$46.14

-30.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CLP 1,359

$1.50 MX$26.11

1.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 CLP 1,435

$1.99 MX$34.59

-19.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 CLP 1,308

$2.08 MX$36.13

-29.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 CLP 1,108

$1.79 MX$31.11

-30.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 CLP 1,255

$2.18 MX$37.87

-35.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 CLP 1,101

$1.08 MX$18.73

13.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 CLP 1,050

$1.04 MX$18.04

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.28 CLP 4,733

$3.97 MX$69.1

33.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.56 CLP 4,088

$10.20 MX$178

-55.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 CLP 1,424

$1.73 MX$30.04

-8.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 CLP 2,020

$2.50 MX$43.46

-10.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 CLP 525

$0.52 MX$9.02

13.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 417

$3.14 MX$54.7

-85.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 CLP 1,238

$1.27 MX$22.16

8.66%

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

$19.9K CLP 17.8M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-35.50%

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

$21.8K CLP 19.5M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

-6.51%

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

$130 CLP 116.1K

$82.0 MX$1,427

58.11%

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

$13.53 CLP 12.1K

$22.45 MX$391

-39.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.63 CLP 19.4K

$29.66 MX$516

-27.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.07 CLP 35.0K

$51.9 MX$903

-24.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 CLP 18.8K

$18.67 MX$325

12.43%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 CLP 5,170

$4.97 MX$86.5

16.10%

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

$433 CLP 387.5K

$198 MX$3,442

118.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.79 CLP 44.6K

$36.34 MX$632

37.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.71 CLP 26.6K

$40.05 MX$697

-25.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.8 CLP 55.3K

$79.9 MX$1,390

-22.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 CLP 73.9K

$88.9 MX$1,547

-7.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 CLP 425.1K

$963 MX$16.8K

-50.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 CLP 335.6K

$465 MX$8,086

-19.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$900 CLP 806.0K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-43.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 CLP 540.6K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-50.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

11.42

-54.64%

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

Last update for Los Ángeles: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Los Ángeles versus $963 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Los Ángeles versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $227 in Los Ángeles vs $251 in Playa del Carmen – so Los Ángeles wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Los Ángeles vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 17% more than Los Ángeles, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,652 per month in Los Ángeles and $1,930 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 Los Ángeles, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Los Ángeles and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Los Ángeles, where all-in costs run around $1,101, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Los Ángeles it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Los Ángeles costs $1,101 versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Los Ángeles. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.