Cost of Living Comparison Between Mission, TX and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Mission, TX and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,600 in Mission, TX versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,751 in Mission, TX versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,902 in Mission, TX versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Mission, TX is roughly 99% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mission, TX is 89% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.34 $19.34

$11.96 MX$203

61.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.5 $74.5

$47.38 MX$804

57.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.04 $11.04

$11.75 MX$199

-6.04%

Cappuccino

$5.20 $5.20

$4.12 MX$70.0

26.21%

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

$2.51 $2.51

$1.40 MX$23.74

79.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.91 MX$15.48

123.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 $5.92

$3.21 MX$54.4

84.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 $6.84

$7.07 MX$120

-3.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.68 MX$28.44

-38.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 $3.41

$2.15 MX$36.48

58.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$1.77 MX$30.10

149.15%

Eggs

$4.23 $4.23

$2.82 MX$47.76

50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.24 $12.24

$9.20 MX$156

33.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.34 $11.34

$9.23 MX$157

22.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.14 $15.14

$12.64 MX$214

19.78%

Apples (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$2.95 MX$50.1

65.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.58 MX$26.79

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$2.22 MX$37.70

94.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.58 $4.58

$2.36 MX$40.09

94.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.99 MX$33.81

45.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.98 MX$33.58

41.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.24 MX$21.04

68.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.21 MX$20.55

80.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.35 $9.35

$4.60 MX$78.1

103.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.05 $14.05

$10.52 MX$178

33.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.69 MX$28.70

8.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.77 MX$47.06

23.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.60 MX$10.22

223.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 $3.55

$5.24 MX$88.8

-32.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$3.65 MX$61.9

-56.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.25 $29.25

$5.78 MX$98.1

406.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.54 MX$26.09

-42.21%

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

$29.0K $29.0K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

27.33%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-0.48%

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

$189 $189

$90.7 MX$1,538

108.62%

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

$53.1 $53.1

$25.19 MX$427

110.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.5 $66.5

$31.75 MX$539

109.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.42 $43.42

$68.8 MX$1,167

-36.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$13.65 $13.65

$4.86 MX$82.5

180.86%

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

$1,314 $1,314

$226 MX$3,828

482.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

456.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.4 $51.4

$47.38 MX$804

8.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.70 $39.70

$43.45 MX$737

-8.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$80.2 MX$1,361

8.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$91.4 MX$1,550

20.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,631 $1,631

$1,086 MX$18.4K

50.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,372 $1,372

$409 MX$6,933

235.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,599 $2,599

$1,972 MX$33.5K

31.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,261 $2,261

$1,281 MX$21.7K

76.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,801 $2,801

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-30.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,442 $2,442

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-63.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

11.45

-43.14%

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

Last update for Mission, TX: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,631 in Mission, TX and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $74.0 in Mission, TX vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $385 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

Mission, TX vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 99% lower than in Mission, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,900 in Mission, TX and $1,958 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: $1,631 in Mission, TX versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,314 in Mission, TX versus $226 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $74.0 in Mission, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,600 in Mission, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Mission, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,305 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 99% less than in Mission, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.