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 $2,864 per month in Madison, WI vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,134 per month in Madison, WI vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,405 per month in Madison, WI vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Madison, WI costs about 123% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Madison, WI sits 114% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.24 $15.24

$11.94 MX$209

27.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.3 $76.3

$42.75 MX$748

78.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 $10.92

$10.59 MX$185

3.12%

Cappuccino

$5.24 $5.24

$3.62 MX$63.4

44.75%

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

$2.61 $2.61

$1.47 MX$25.69

77.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$0.94 MX$16.51

148.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.18 $6.18

$3.09 MX$54.1

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 $6.82

$4.46 MX$78.0

52.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.43 MX$24.94

-37.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$1.88 MX$32.97

97.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.10 $5.10

$1.63 MX$28.50

212.88%

Eggs

$3.98 $3.98

$2.64 MX$46.26

50.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.79 $13.79

$8.21 MX$144

67.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.39 $13.39

$8.29 MX$145

61.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.57 $16.57

$11.10 MX$194

49.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$2.65 MX$46.40

68.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.50 MX$26.26

1.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.86 $5.86

$1.99 MX$34.79

194.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$2.08 MX$36.33

124.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$1.79 MX$31.29

45.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.18 MX$38.09

31.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.08 MX$18.84

87.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.04 MX$18.15

87.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.96 $9.96

$3.97 MX$69.5

150.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.75 $15.75

$10.20 MX$179

54.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.73 MX$30.22

31.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.83 $4.83

$2.50 MX$43.71

93.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.52 MX$9.07

276.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.1 $63.1

$26.97 MX$472

134.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.52 $4.52

$3.14 MX$55.0

43.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.40 MX$42.04

-7.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.40 $42.40

$3.09 MX$54.0

1272.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.27 MX$22.28

-33.07%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-17.80%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

10.54%

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

$216 $216

$82.0 MX$1,435

162.98%

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

$50.2 $50.2

$22.45 MX$393

123.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.4 $74.4

$29.66 MX$519

150.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.6 $63.6

$51.9 MX$908

22.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.07 $30.07

$18.67 MX$327

61.06%

Cinema Ticket

$14.83 $14.83

$4.97 MX$87.0

198.39%

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

$1,656 $1,656

$198 MX$3,462

737.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.0K $25.0K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

374.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.7 $67.7

$36.34 MX$636

86.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.64 $47.64

$40.05 MX$701

18.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.4 $99.4

$79.9 MX$1,398

24.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 $134

$88.9 MX$1,555

51.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,701 $1,701

$963 MX$16.9K

76.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,438 $1,438

$465 MX$8,133

209.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,068 $3,068

$1,596 MX$27.9K

92.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,209 MX$21.2K

102.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,392 $4,392

$3,942 MX$69.0K

11.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,563 $2,563

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-60.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,331 $4,331

$720 MX$12.6K

501.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

11.42

-42.64%

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

Last update for Madison, WI: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,701 in Madison, WI 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.

Salaries run about 501% 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 $76.0 in Madison, WI versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $416 vs $251 – 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: $2,864 in Madison, WI, $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 123% apart. Madison, WI costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,296 per month in Madison, WI 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 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 134% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,656 per month in Madison, WI and $198 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 $1,287, than in Madison, WI at $2,864. 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen to $2,864 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.