Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Banos, CA and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Banos, CA and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,354 in Los Banos, CA versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,505 in Los Banos, CA versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,655 in Los Banos, CA versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Los Banos, CA is roughly 86% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Los Banos, CA is 72% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.98 $14.98

$11.60 MX$200

29.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 $108

$47.11 MX$811

128.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.98 $9.98

$11.88 MX$205

-15.99%

Cappuccino

$4.93 $4.93

$3.98 MX$68.5

23.87%

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

$2.55 $2.55

$1.43 MX$24.57

78.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.82 MX$14.20

137.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.03 $8.03

$3.19 MX$54.9

151.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.16 $10.16

$6.79 MX$117

49.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.68 MX$28.85

-43.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.20 MX$37.83

54.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.71 MX$29.41

73.10%

Eggs

$1.59 $1.59

$2.74 MX$47.20

-41.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.47 $8.47

$9.58 MX$165

-11.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.42 $7.42

$9.01 MX$155

-17.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.49 $12.49

$12.81 MX$221

-2.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.89 MX$49.74

14.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.50 MX$25.78

-10.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.15 MX$36.98

27.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.26 MX$38.91

26.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.98 MX$34.10

45.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.99 MX$34.26

20.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.23 MX$21.25

50.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$1.20 MX$20.60

116.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.07 $11.07

$4.55 MX$78.3

143.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.17 $14.17

$10.37 MX$179

36.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.62 MX$27.88

7.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 $1.30

$2.88 MX$49.60

-54.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.60 MX$10.34

238.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 $2.60

$5.39 MX$92.8

-51.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 $1.56

$3.73 MX$64.2

-58.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.87 $27.87

$5.77 MX$99.3

383.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.54 MX$26.45

-14.29%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$22.5K MX$388.3K

62.79%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.1K MX$448.7K

2.01%

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

$220 $220

$91.4 MX$1,573

140.64%

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

$45.64 $45.64

$25.20 MX$434

81.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 $56.1

$31.24 MX$538

79.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.61 $46.61

$67.2 MX$1,157

-30.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$15.25 $15.25

$4.86 MX$83.7

213.79%

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

$1,425 $1,425

$224 MX$3,851

537.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.3K $42.3K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

900.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.18 $24.18

$47.10 MX$811

-48.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.17 $22.17

$44.29 MX$763

-49.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.2 $52.2

$80.1 MX$1,379

-34.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.0 $61.0

$92.7 MX$1,596

-34.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 $1,614

$1,063 MX$18.3K

51.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 $1,290

$390 MX$6,719

230.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,652 $2,652

$2,149 MX$37.0K

23.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,836 $1,836

$1,272 MX$21.9K

44.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,794 $2,794

$4,001 MX$68.9K

-30.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,413 $2,413

$6,502 MX$112.0K

-62.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,474 $6,474

$758 MX$13.1K

753.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

11.45

-44.45%

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

Last update for Los Banos, CA: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,614 in Los Banos, CA and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Los Banos, CA pays 754% 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: $108 in Los Banos, CA vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $303 vs $276 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

Los Banos, CA vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 86% lower than in Los Banos, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 754% higher in Los Banos, 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: $1,614 in Los Banos, CA versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Los Banos, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,354 per month in Los Banos, CA versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,354 in Los Banos, CA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Los Banos, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,266 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Los Banos, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.