Cost of Living Comparison Between Milwaukee, WI and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Milwaukee, WI and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,516 in Milwaukee, WI versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,665 in Milwaukee, WI versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,814 in Milwaukee, WI versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Milwaukee, WI is roughly 93% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Milwaukee, WI is 82% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.20 $20.20

$11.96 MX$203

68.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.6 $70.6

$47.38 MX$804

49.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.98 $9.98

$11.75 MX$199

-15.06%

Cappuccino

$5.11 $5.11

$4.12 MX$70.0

24.03%

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

$2.94 $2.94

$1.40 MX$23.74

110.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.91 MX$15.48

121.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 $6.13

$3.21 MX$54.4

90.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.52 $7.52

$7.07 MX$120

6.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.68 MX$28.44

-47.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.15 MX$36.48

53.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.15 $5.15

$1.77 MX$30.10

190.96%

Eggs

$4.46 $4.46

$2.82 MX$47.76

58.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.29 $10.29

$9.20 MX$156

11.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.23 MX$157

49.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.80 $16.80

$12.64 MX$214

32.91%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$2.95 MX$50.1

77.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.58 MX$26.79

-6.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$2.22 MX$37.70

107.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$2.36 MX$40.09

117.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.99 MX$33.81

23.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.98 MX$33.58

32.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.24 MX$21.04

87.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.21 MX$20.55

97.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.83 $10.83

$4.60 MX$78.1

135.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.88 $15.88

$10.52 MX$178

50.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.69 MX$28.70

23.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 $3.65

$2.77 MX$47.06

31.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.16 $2.16

$0.60 MX$10.22

260.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.2 $73.2

$29.70 MX$504

146.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 $2.86

$5.24 MX$88.8

-45.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$3.65 MX$61.9

-56.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.23 $21.23

$5.78 MX$98.1

267.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.54 MX$26.09

-37.66%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

57.32%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-0.56%

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

$200 $200

$90.7 MX$1,538

120.79%

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

$66.4 $66.4

$25.19 MX$427

163.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.8 $71.8

$31.75 MX$539

126.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.60 $38.60

$68.8 MX$1,167

-43.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 $18.21

$29.37 MX$498

-38.00%

Cinema Ticket

$13.94 $13.94

$4.86 MX$82.5

186.83%

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

$1,795 $1,795

$226 MX$3,828

695.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K $24.0K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

473.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 $54.3

$47.38 MX$804

14.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.96 $43.96

$43.45 MX$737

1.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 $92.5

$80.2 MX$1,361

15.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$91.4 MX$1,550

27.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,782 $1,782

$1,086 MX$18.4K

64.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,182 $1,182

$409 MX$6,933

189.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,751 $2,751

$1,972 MX$33.5K

39.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,862 $1,862

$1,281 MX$21.7K

45.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,719 $2,719

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-32.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,682 $1,682

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-74.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,730 $3,730

$773 MX$13.1K

382.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.12

11.45

-46.55%

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

Last update for Milwaukee, WI: September 5, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,782 in Milwaukee, WI and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Milwaukee, WI pays 382% 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: $71.0 in Milwaukee, WI vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $278 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

Milwaukee, WI vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Milwaukee, WI and Playa del Carmen differ by about 93% in total monthly costs ($2,516 vs $1,305 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 382% higher in Milwaukee, WI, 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: $1,782 in Milwaukee, WI versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,516 per month in Milwaukee, WI versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – a 93% 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 147% less than in Milwaukee, WI. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,516 in Milwaukee, WI, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Milwaukee, WI. 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 93% less than in Milwaukee, WI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.