Cost of Living Comparison Between Madison, WI and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Madison, WI and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,979 per month in Madison, WI vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,390 per month in Madison, WI vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,802 per month in Madison, WI vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Madison, WI costs about 135% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Madison, WI sits 118% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.87 $19.87

$11.60 MX$200

71.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.5 $66.5

$47.11 MX$811

41.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.06 $13.06

$11.88 MX$205

9.93%

Cappuccino

$5.64 $5.64

$3.98 MX$68.5

41.71%

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

$3.24 $3.24

$1.43 MX$24.58

126.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$0.82 MX$14.20

201.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.85 $6.85

$3.19 MX$54.9

114.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.72 $7.72

$6.79 MX$117

13.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.68 MX$28.86

-43.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 $3.59

$2.20 MX$37.84

63.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$1.71 MX$29.42

170.18%

Eggs

$3.62 $3.62

$2.74 MX$47.21

32.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 $14.71

$9.58 MX$165

53.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.29 $13.29

$9.01 MX$155

47.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.96 $19.96

$12.81 MX$221

55.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.76 $4.76

$2.89 MX$49.75

64.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.50 MX$25.79

6.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.40 $5.40

$2.15 MX$37.00

151.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.99 $4.99

$2.26 MX$38.92

120.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.98 MX$34.11

40.40%

Onion (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$1.99 MX$34.27

56.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.23 MX$21.26

69.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.20 MX$20.61

101.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.81 $10.81

$4.55 MX$78.4

137.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.85 $15.85

$10.37 MX$179

52.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.62 MX$27.88

70.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 $4.34

$2.88 MX$49.61

50.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.60 MX$10.34

236.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 $64.8

$28.80 MX$496

125.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 $3.89

$5.39 MX$92.8

-27.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 $1.97

$3.73 MX$64.2

-47.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.90 $42.90

$5.77 MX$99.4

643.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.54 MX$26.46

-34.42%

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

$35.4K $35.4K

$22.5K MX$388.4K

57.11%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$26.1K MX$448.8K

-4.21%

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

$273 $273

$91.4 MX$1,574

198.56%

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

$51.6 $51.6

$25.20 MX$434

104.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.6 $80.6

$31.24 MX$538

158.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.9 $58.9

$67.2 MX$1,158

-12.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.52 $10.52

$29.11 MX$501

-63.86%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 $15.05

$4.86 MX$83.8

209.67%

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

$1,722 $1,722

$224 MX$3,852

670.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K $23.7K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

459.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.9 $64.9

$47.10 MX$811

37.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.75 $49.75

$44.29 MX$763

12.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 $107

$80.1 MX$1,380

32.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$92.7 MX$1,596

29.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,739 $1,739

$1,063 MX$18.3K

63.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,510 $1,510

$390 MX$6,721

287.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,144 $3,144

$2,149 MX$37.0K

46.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,544 $2,544

$1,272 MX$21.9K

99.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,481 $4,481

$4,001 MX$68.9K

11.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,478 $2,478

$6,502 MX$112.0K

-61.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,387 $4,387

$758 MX$13.1K

478.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.26

11.45

-45.33%

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

Last update for Madison, WI: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,739 in Madison, WI versus $1,063 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.

Salaries run about 479% higher in Madison, WI, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Madison, WI versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $435 vs $276 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Madison, WI vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,979 in Madison, WI, $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 135% apart. Madison, WI costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,468 per month in Madison, WI and $1,899 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 Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 125% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,722 per month in Madison, WI and $224 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Madison, WI at $2,979. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Madison, WI it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,266 in Playa del Carmen to $2,979 in Madison, WI. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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