Cost of Living Comparison Between Mount Pleasant, SC and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Mount Pleasant, SC and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,666 in Mount Pleasant, SC versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,965 in Mount Pleasant, SC versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,265 in Mount Pleasant, SC versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Mount Pleasant, SC is roughly 110% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mount Pleasant, SC is 98% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.19 $28.19

$11.87 MX$204

137.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.5 $79.5

$42.90 MX$736

85.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 $9.86

$10.65 MX$183

-7.42%

Cappuccino

$4.89 $4.89

$3.45 MX$59.2

41.74%

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

$2.50 $2.50

$1.50 MX$25.81

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.95 MX$16.28

106.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 $5.98

$3.03 MX$51.9

97.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.82 $7.82

$4.61 MX$79.1

69.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.38 MX$23.61

-26.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.95 $3.95

$1.85 MX$31.70

113.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.12 $3.12

$1.61 MX$27.65

93.79%

Eggs

$4.50 $4.50

$2.59 MX$44.51

73.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.90 $13.90

$8.26 MX$142

68.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.04 $15.04

$8.37 MX$144

79.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.14 $17.14

$10.66 MX$183

60.79%

Apples (1kg)

$5.73 $5.73

$2.63 MX$45.12

117.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.49 MX$25.53

8.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$1.92 MX$32.94

237.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.97 $3.97

$2.09 MX$35.81

89.95%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$1.86 MX$31.88

104.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.26 MX$38.81

22.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.06 MX$18.23

64.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.09 MX$18.67

69.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.61 $7.61

$4.15 MX$71.2

83.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.35 $15.35

$10.39 MX$178

47.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.72 MX$29.59

4.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.61 MX$44.85

24.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.54 MX$9.30

268.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 $3.02

$3.13 MX$53.7

-3.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.51 MX$43.09

-38.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.26 $20.26

$3.15 MX$54.1

543.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.27 MX$21.88

-38.58%

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

$33.6K $33.6K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

10.55%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

5.38%

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

$139 $139

$83.0 MX$1,425

67.60%

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

$64.7 $64.7

$22.71 MX$390

184.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.6 $72.6

$29.46 MX$506

146.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.38 $43.38

$51.0 MX$875

-14.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$13.46 $13.46

$4.93 MX$84.5

173.02%

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

$1,323 $1,323

$197 MX$3,386

570.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K $24.3K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

359.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.14 $49.14

$36.90 MX$633

33.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.81 $35.81

$39.89 MX$685

-10.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 $94.8

$80.0 MX$1,373

18.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 $158

$89.5 MX$1,536

76.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,606 $1,606

$956 MX$16.4K

67.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,345 $1,345

$477 MX$8,189

181.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,636 $2,636

$1,646 MX$28.3K

60.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,248 $2,248

$1,225 MX$21.0K

83.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,636 $2,636

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-32.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,596 $2,596

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-59.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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 Mount Pleasant, SC: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,606 in Mount Pleasant, SC and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79.0 in Mount Pleasant, SC vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $425 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

Mount Pleasant, SC vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mount Pleasant, SC and Playa del Carmen differ by about 110% in total monthly costs ($2,666 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 $3,999 in Mount Pleasant, SC 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: $1,606 in Mount Pleasant, SC 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 70% higher in Mount Pleasant, SC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,666 per month in Mount Pleasant, SC versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 110% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,666 in Mount Pleasant, SC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Mount Pleasant, SC. 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 110% less than in Mount Pleasant, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.