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 $1,099 per month in Los Ángeles vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,649 per month in Los Ángeles vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Los Ángeles vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Los Ángeles is about 13% 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 17% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.80 CLP 8,187

$11.72 MX$203

-24.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.26 CLP 41.2K

$41.89 MX$725

5.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 CLP 7,269

$10.51 MX$182

-25.69%

Cappuccino

$2.75 CLP 2,561

$3.59 MX$62.0

-23.40%

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

$1.31 CLP 1,219

$1.51 MX$26.10

-13.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 CLP 989

$0.92 MX$15.83

15.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 CLP 2,931

$2.96 MX$51.2

6.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 CLP 3,847

$4.41 MX$76.3

-6.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 CLP 1,107

$1.40 MX$24.16

-15.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 CLP 1,421

$1.88 MX$32.60

-18.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 CLP 1,755

$1.56 MX$26.97

21.15%

Eggs

$3.57 CLP 3,325

$2.61 MX$45.14

36.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.62 CLP 9,880

$8.32 MX$144

27.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 CLP 6,374

$8.35 MX$145

-17.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.82 CLP 10.1K

$10.86 MX$188

-0.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 CLP 1,773

$2.71 MX$46.93

-29.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 CLP 1,398

$1.51 MX$26.04

-0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,440

$1.87 MX$32.41

-17.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 CLP 1,404

$2.19 MX$37.89

-31.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 CLP 1,153

$1.86 MX$32.14

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 CLP 1,322

$2.23 MX$38.59

-36.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 CLP 1,120

$1.07 MX$18.48

12.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CLP 1,135

$1.09 MX$18.79

11.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.40 CLP 5,026

$4.19 MX$72.4

28.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.88 CLP 5,476

$10.43 MX$180

-43.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 CLP 1,484

$1.66 MX$28.68

-4.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 CLP 2,149

$2.61 MX$45.19

-11.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 CLP 540

$0.54 MX$9.37

7.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 CLP 444

$3.08 MX$53.3

-84.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 CLP 1,337

$1.31 MX$22.69

9.92%

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

$19.2K CLP 17.8M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-35.67%

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

$21.0K CLP 19.6M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

-9.86%

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

$134 CLP 124.4K

$81.3 MX$1,406

64.53%

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

$13.70 CLP 12.7K

$22.56 MX$390

-39.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.38 CLP 20.8K

$30.05 MX$520

-25.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.41 CLP 35.7K

$52.9 MX$915

-27.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.13 CLP 19.7K

$18.39 MX$318

14.90%

Cinema Ticket

$5.57 CLP 5,181

$4.92 MX$85.1

13.21%

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

$439 CLP 408.8K

$201 MX$3,474

118.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 CLP 48.0K

$35.92 MX$622

43.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.83 CLP 27.8K

$40.13 MX$694

-25.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.5 CLP 58.1K

$79.7 MX$1,379

-21.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.8 CLP 76.1K

$86.5 MX$1,496

-5.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 CLP 441.3K

$978 MX$16.9K

-51.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 CLP 343.1K

$470 MX$8,140

-21.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$896 CLP 833.8K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-45.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$588 CLP 547.0K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-51.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Los Ángeles versus $978 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $230 in Los Ángeles vs $252 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 15% 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 $1,648 per month in Los Ángeles and $1,890 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% 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 $1,099, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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 $1,099 versus $1,260 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.