Cost of Living Comparison Between Merrillville, IN and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Merrillville, IN and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,538 in Merrillville, IN versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,712 in Merrillville, IN versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,886 in Merrillville, IN versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Merrillville, IN is roughly 97% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Merrillville, IN is 90% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.55 $18.55

$11.94 MX$208

55.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.0 $65.0

$42.75 MX$744

52.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.08 $10.08

$10.59 MX$184

-4.82%

Cappuccino

$5.08 $5.08

$3.62 MX$63.0

40.33%

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

$3.06 $3.06

$1.47 MX$25.54

108.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$0.94 MX$16.41

128.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.93 $4.93

$3.09 MX$53.8

59.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.92 $6.92

$4.46 MX$77.6

55.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$1.43 MX$24.80

-44.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.88 MX$32.79

84.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$1.63 MX$28.34

174.85%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$2.64 MX$45.99

63.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.04 $10.04

$8.21 MX$143

22.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.50 $12.50

$8.29 MX$144

50.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.37 $15.37

$11.10 MX$193

38.47%

Apples (1kg)

$5.78 $5.78

$2.65 MX$46.14

118.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.50 MX$26.11

-22.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.63 $4.63

$1.99 MX$34.59

132.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 $4.82

$2.08 MX$36.13

131.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.79 MX$31.11

17.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.18 MX$37.87

-2.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.08 MX$18.73

86.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.04 MX$18.04

160.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.42 $10.42

$3.97 MX$69.1

162.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.86 $11.86

$10.20 MX$178

16.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.73 MX$30.04

4.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.50 MX$43.46

38.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.52 MX$9.02

292.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 $2.75

$3.14 MX$54.7

-12.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.40 MX$41.80

-7.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.61 $20.61

$3.09 MX$53.7

566.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.27 MX$22.16

-36.22%

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

$30.2K $30.2K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-2.14%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

12.61%

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

$186 $186

$82.0 MX$1,427

127.08%

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

$48.87 $48.87

$22.45 MX$391

117.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.8 $64.8

$29.66 MX$516

118.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.54 $42.54

$51.9 MX$903

-17.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$14.60 $14.60

$4.97 MX$86.5

193.76%

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

$1,834 $1,834

$198 MX$3,442

827.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K $24.3K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

361.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.67 $42.67

$36.34 MX$632

17.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.66 $45.66

$40.05 MX$697

14.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 $78.9

$79.9 MX$1,390

-1.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$88.9 MX$1,547

18.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 $1,590

$963 MX$16.8K

65.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 $1,328

$465 MX$8,086

185.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,623 $2,623

$1,596 MX$27.8K

64.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,220 $2,220

$1,209 MX$21.0K

83.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,048 $3,048

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-22.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,541 $2,541

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-60.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

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 Merrillville, IN: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,590 in Merrillville, IN and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Merrillville, IN vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $386 vs $251 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

Merrillville, IN vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Merrillville, IN and Playa del Carmen differ by about 97% in total monthly costs ($2,538 vs $1,287 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,807 in Merrillville, IN and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,590 in Merrillville, IN versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 54% higher in Merrillville, IN. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,538 per month in Merrillville, IN versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 97% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,538 in Merrillville, IN, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Merrillville, IN. 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 97% less than in Merrillville, IN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.