Cost of Living Comparison Between McKinney, TX and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between McKinney, TX and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,683 in McKinney, TX versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,607 in McKinney, TX versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,531 in McKinney, TX versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in McKinney, TX is roughly 107% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: McKinney, TX is 95% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.37 $19.37

$11.71 MX$199

65.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 $60.3

$46.59 MX$791

29.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.56 $11.56

$11.65 MX$198

-0.77%

Cappuccino

$5.01 $5.01

$4.09 MX$69.5

22.49%

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

$2.22 $2.22

$1.37 MX$23.34

62.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$0.83 MX$14.16

118.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 $6.12

$3.35 MX$56.9

82.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.34 $8.34

$6.91 MX$117

20.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.73 MX$29.33

-41.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.26 MX$38.39

19.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.77 MX$30.05

20.90%

Eggs

$4.98 $4.98

$2.73 MX$46.41

82.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.26 $11.26

$9.18 MX$156

22.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.04 $11.04

$8.92 MX$151

23.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.94 $15.94

$12.60 MX$214

26.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$3.02 MX$51.3

-0.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.57 MX$26.68

-3.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 $3.12

$2.13 MX$36.10

46.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.26 MX$38.46

7.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.00 MX$34.04

7.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.06 MX$35.06

-7.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.18 MX$20.04

74.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.20 MX$20.45

95.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.01 $11.01

$4.63 MX$78.7

137.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.71 $11.71

$10.69 MX$182

9.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.62 MX$27.50

13.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 $3.10

$2.88 MX$48.93

7.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.06 $3.06

$0.57 MX$9.74

436.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$189 $189

$29.83 MX$507

534.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$5.45 MX$92.5

-48.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 $1.22

$3.70 MX$62.9

-67.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.18 $30.18

$5.98 MX$102

404.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.55 MX$26.38

-50.32%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

58.87%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

-4.91%

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

$163 $163

$89.1 MX$1,514

82.72%

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

$71.0 $71.0

$25.04 MX$425

183.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.4 $73.4

$31.50 MX$535

132.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.26 $35.26

$67.8 MX$1,151

-47.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.79 $12.79

$28.92 MX$491

-55.77%

Cinema Ticket

$12.02 $12.02

$5.05 MX$85.8

138.02%

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

$1,607 $1,607

$225 MX$3,820

614.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

463.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 $52.0

$47.44 MX$806

9.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.32 $28.32

$44.98 MX$764

-37.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 $97.1

$82.0 MX$1,392

18.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.6 $64.6

$92.1 MX$1,564

-29.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,670 $1,670

$1,069 MX$18.2K

56.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,383 $1,383

$405 MX$6,884

241.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,624 $2,624

$1,935 MX$32.9K

35.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,686 $1,686

$1,301 MX$22.1K

29.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,287 $2,287

$3,995 MX$67.9K

-42.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,367 $2,367

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-64.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,652 $5,652

$749 MX$12.7K

654.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.04

11.45

-47.25%

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

Last update for McKinney, TX: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,670 in McKinney, TX and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

McKinney, TX pays 655% 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: $60.0 in McKinney, TX vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $337 vs $277 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

McKinney, TX vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

McKinney, TX and Playa del Carmen differ by about 107% in total monthly costs ($2,683 vs $1,293 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 655% higher in McKinney, TX, 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: $1,670 in McKinney, TX versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,683 per month in McKinney, TX versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 107% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 534% less than in McKinney, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,683 in McKinney, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in McKinney, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 107% less than in McKinney, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.