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: $2,561 in Merrillville, IN versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,739 in Merrillville, IN versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,917 in Merrillville, IN versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Merrillville, IN is roughly 102% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Merrillville, IN is 91% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.32 $18.32

$11.87 MX$204

54.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 $63.7

$42.90 MX$736

48.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.94 $9.94

$10.65 MX$183

-6.67%

Cappuccino

$5.25 $5.25

$3.45 MX$59.2

52.17%

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

$3.18 $3.18

$1.50 MX$25.81

112.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$0.95 MX$16.28

127.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.15 $5.15

$3.03 MX$51.9

69.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.98 $6.98

$4.61 MX$79.1

51.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.38 MX$23.61

-42.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 $3.43

$1.85 MX$31.70

85.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$1.61 MX$27.65

186.34%

Eggs

$4.33 $4.33

$2.59 MX$44.51

67.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 $10.16

$8.26 MX$142

23.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.51 $12.51

$8.37 MX$144

49.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.28 $15.28

$10.66 MX$183

43.34%

Apples (1kg)

$5.75 $5.75

$2.63 MX$45.12

118.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.49 MX$25.53

-22.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$1.92 MX$32.94

134.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$2.09 MX$35.81

124.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.86 MX$31.88

15.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.26 MX$38.81

-7.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.06 MX$18.23

79.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$1.09 MX$18.67

138.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.58 $10.58

$4.15 MX$71.2

154.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.97 $11.97

$10.39 MX$178

15.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.72 MX$29.59

6.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 $3.53

$2.61 MX$44.85

35.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.54 MX$9.30

264.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.13 MX$53.7

-11.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.51 MX$43.09

-11.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.96 $20.96

$3.15 MX$54.1

565.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.27 MX$21.88

-32.28%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-1.78%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

12.38%

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

$184 $184

$83.0 MX$1,425

122.25%

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

$48.41 $48.41

$22.71 MX$390

113.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.5 $62.5

$29.46 MX$506

112.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.17 $43.17

$51.0 MX$875

-15.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$14.45 $14.45

$4.93 MX$84.5

193.10%

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

$1,806 $1,806

$197 MX$3,386

815.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.9K $23.9K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

353.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.73 $42.73

$36.90 MX$633

15.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.67 $44.67

$39.89 MX$685

11.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 $80.0

$80.0 MX$1,373

0.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$89.5 MX$1,536

17.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 $1,580

$956 MX$16.4K

65.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,351 $1,351

$477 MX$8,189

183.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 $2,588

$1,646 MX$28.3K

57.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,263 $2,263

$1,225 MX$21.0K

84.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,587 $2,587

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-33.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,415 $2,415

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-62.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,580 in Merrillville, IN and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $64.0 in Merrillville, IN vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $384 vs $250 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 102% in total monthly costs ($2,561 vs $1,271 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 $3,841 in Merrillville, IN and $1,906 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: $1,580 in Merrillville, IN versus $956 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 $2,561 per month in Merrillville, IN versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 102% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,561 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 102% less than in Merrillville, IN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.