Cost of Living Comparison Between Mountain Home, ID and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Mountain Home, ID and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,555 in Mountain Home, ID versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,747 in Mountain Home, ID versus $2,177 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,939 in Mountain Home, ID versus $3,095 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Mountain Home, ID is roughly 103% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mountain Home, ID is 91% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.96 $18.96

$11.95 MX$208

58.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 $73.6

$41.94 MX$730

75.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.06 $11.06

$10.42 MX$181

6.14%

Cappuccino

$5.14 $5.14

$3.51 MX$61.2

46.44%

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

$2.47 $2.47

$1.52 MX$26.39

62.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.91 MX$15.84

121.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.06 $6.06

$3.04 MX$52.9

99.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 $7.05

$4.37 MX$76.1

61.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.42 MX$24.73

-26.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.83 MX$31.87

89.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$1.63 MX$28.45

171.17%

Eggs

$4.11 $4.11

$2.54 MX$44.20

61.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.11 $12.11

$8.57 MX$149

41.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.55 $11.55

$8.49 MX$148

36.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.48 $15.48

$10.80 MX$188

43.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.85 $4.85

$2.75 MX$47.94

76.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.44 MX$25.00

13.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$1.89 MX$32.83

119.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$2.17 MX$37.77

114.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.78 MX$30.97

64.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.22 MX$38.71

29.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.07 MX$18.60

90.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.08 MX$18.79

104.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.71 $9.71

$4.15 MX$72.2

133.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.82 $14.82

$10.45 MX$182

41.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.74 MX$30.34

5.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.58 MX$44.92

27.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.51 MX$8.94

301.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$451

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.21 MX$55.9

7.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 $1.67

$2.50 MX$43.55

-33.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.92 $28.92

$3.19 MX$55.4

806.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.26 MX$21.87

-28.57%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$29.7K MX$516.6K

-0.34%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$23.7K MX$412.1K

8.99%

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

$184 $184

$82.0 MX$1,427

124.71%

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

$52.0 $52.0

$22.73 MX$395

128.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.1 $68.1

$29.42 MX$512

131.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.45 $42.45

$52.2 MX$908

-18.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$13.57 $13.57

$4.93 MX$85.9

175.25%

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

$1,287 $1,287

$202 MX$3,511

537.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$5,217 MX$90.8K

347.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 $51.6

$35.93 MX$625

43.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.78 $39.78

$40.33 MX$702

-1.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.7 $85.7

$79.9 MX$1,390

7.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$89.3 MX$1,554

27.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,632 $1,632

$948 MX$16.5K

72.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 $1,379

$465 MX$8,097

196.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,600 $2,600

$1,630 MX$28.4K

59.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,210 $2,210

$1,193 MX$20.8K

85.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,336 $2,336

$3,933 MX$68.4K

-40.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,350 $2,350

$6,428 MX$111.9K

-63.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

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 Mountain Home, ID: July 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,632 in Mountain Home, ID and $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $74.0 in Mountain Home, ID vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $388 vs $252 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

Mountain Home, ID 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 103% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,833 in Mountain Home, ID and $1,888 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: $1,632 in Mountain Home, ID versus $948 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 Mountain Home, ID. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,555 per month in Mountain Home, ID versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen – a 103% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,555 in Mountain Home, ID, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Mountain Home, ID. 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 Mountain Home, ID, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 103% less than in Mountain Home, ID. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.