Cost of Living Comparison Between Milton, DE and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Milton, DE and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,592 in Milton, DE versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,888 in Milton, DE versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,184 in Milton, DE versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Milton, DE is roughly 101% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Milton, DE is 94% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 $18.74

$11.94 MX$208

56.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.5 $74.5

$42.75 MX$744

74.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.02 $11.02

$10.59 MX$184

4.06%

Cappuccino

$5.03 $5.03

$3.62 MX$63.1

38.95%

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

$2.52 $2.52

$1.47 MX$25.56

71.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.94 MX$16.42

118.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.82 $5.82

$3.09 MX$53.8

88.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.83 $6.83

$4.46 MX$77.6

53.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.43 MX$24.81

-27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 $3.42

$1.88 MX$32.80

81.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.26 $4.26

$1.63 MX$28.36

161.35%

Eggs

$4.30 $4.30

$2.64 MX$46.02

62.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.24 $12.24

$8.21 MX$143

49.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.51 $11.51

$8.29 MX$144

38.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.39 $15.39

$11.10 MX$193

38.65%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 $5.06

$2.65 MX$46.16

90.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.50 MX$26.13

8.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$1.99 MX$34.61

115.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.85 $4.85

$2.08 MX$36.15

133.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.79 MX$31.13

55.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.18 MX$37.89

33.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.08 MX$18.74

87.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.04 MX$18.05

102.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.34 $9.34

$3.97 MX$69.1

135.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.70 $14.70

$10.20 MX$178

44.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.73 MX$30.06

4.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.50 MX$43.48

33.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.52 MX$9.03

275.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.3 $59.3

$26.97 MX$470

119.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 $3.56

$3.14 MX$54.7

13.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$2.40 MX$41.82

-34.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.96 $28.96

$3.09 MX$53.7

837.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.27 MX$22.17

-34.65%

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

$30.0K $30.0K

$30.9K MX$537.6K

-2.90%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$23.3K MX$405.9K

8.05%

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

$184 $184

$82.0 MX$1,428

124.47%

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

$51.8 $51.8

$22.45 MX$391

130.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.1 $67.1

$29.66 MX$516

126.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.74 $43.74

$51.9 MX$903

-15.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.06 $40.06

$18.67 MX$325

114.57%

Cinema Ticket

$13.57 $13.57

$4.97 MX$86.6

173.04%

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

$1,280 $1,280

$198 MX$3,444

547.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$5,273 MX$91.8K

351.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 $50.5

$36.34 MX$633

38.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.59 $39.59

$40.05 MX$697

-1.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.2 $86.2

$79.9 MX$1,391

7.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$88.9 MX$1,547

26.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,620 $1,620

$963 MX$16.8K

68.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 $1,339

$465 MX$8,091

188.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,667 $2,667

$1,596 MX$27.8K

67.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,252 $2,252

$1,209 MX$21.0K

86.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,742 $2,742

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-30.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 $2,332

$6,448 MX$112.3K

-63.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,969 $3,969

$720 MX$12.5K

450.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

11.42

-42.99%

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

Last update for Milton, DE: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,620 in Milton, DE and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Milton, DE pays 451% 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: $74 in Milton, DE vs $43 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $388 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

Milton, DE vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 101% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Milton, DE pays 451% more on average, 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: $1,620 in Milton, DE 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 55% higher in Milton, DE. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $74.0 in Milton, DE. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,592 in Milton, DE, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Milton, DE. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Milton, DE, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Milton, DE and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 101% less than in Milton, DE. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.