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: $2,599 in Merrillville, IN versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,737 in Merrillville, IN versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,875 in Merrillville, IN versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Merrillville, IN is roughly 106% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Merrillville, IN is 95% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.82 $18.82

$11.72 MX$203

60.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.3 $66.3

$41.89 MX$725

58.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.08 $10.08

$10.51 MX$182

-4.09%

Cappuccino

$5.25 $5.25

$3.59 MX$62.0

46.24%

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

$3.16 $3.16

$1.51 MX$26.10

109.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.92 MX$15.83

141.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.13 $5.13

$2.96 MX$51.2

73.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 $6.99

$4.41 MX$76.3

58.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.40 MX$24.16

-42.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 $3.34

$1.88 MX$32.60

77.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$1.56 MX$26.97

192.31%

Eggs

$4.30 $4.30

$2.61 MX$45.14

64.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 $9.69

$8.32 MX$144

16.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.64 $12.64

$8.35 MX$145

51.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.36 $15.36

$10.86 MX$188

41.44%

Apples (1kg)

$5.64 $5.64

$2.71 MX$46.93

108.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.51 MX$26.04

-26.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$1.87 MX$32.41

145.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$2.19 MX$37.89

126.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.86 MX$32.14

18.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.23 MX$38.59

-6.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.07 MX$18.48

81.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.09 MX$18.79

151.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.41 $10.41

$4.19 MX$72.4

148.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.02 $12.02

$10.43 MX$180

15.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.66 MX$28.68

15.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 $3.58

$2.61 MX$45.19

37.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.54 MX$9.37

262.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 $2.83

$3.08 MX$53.3

-8.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.40 MX$41.61

-7.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.36 $21.36

$3.13 MX$54.1

582.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.31 MX$22.69

-33.59%

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

$30.0K $30.0K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

0.58%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

14.27%

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

$181 $181

$81.3 MX$1,406

122.80%

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

$48.79 $48.79

$22.56 MX$390

116.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 $63.5

$30.05 MX$520

111.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.07 $43.07

$52.9 MX$915

-18.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$14.90 $14.90

$4.92 MX$85.1

202.85%

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

$1,795 $1,795

$201 MX$3,474

793.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.2K $24.2K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

367.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.68 $42.68

$35.92 MX$622

18.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.34 $45.34

$40.13 MX$694

12.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 $78.9

$79.7 MX$1,379

-1.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$86.5 MX$1,496

20.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,601 $1,601

$978 MX$16.9K

63.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,327 $1,327

$470 MX$8,140

182.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,580 $2,580

$1,651 MX$28.6K

56.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,257 $2,257

$1,203 MX$20.8K

87.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,687 $2,687

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-32.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,275 $2,275

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-65.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,601 in Merrillville, IN and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $66.0 in Merrillville, IN vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $385 vs $252 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 106% in total monthly costs ($2,599 vs $1,260 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 $3,899 in Merrillville, IN and $1,890 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: $1,601 in Merrillville, IN versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Merrillville, IN. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,599 per month in Merrillville, IN versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 106% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,599 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 106% less than in Merrillville, IN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.