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: $2,621 in Mountain Home, ID versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,826 in Mountain Home, ID versus $2,130 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,031 in Mountain Home, ID versus $2,999 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Mountain Home, ID is roughly 108% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mountain Home, ID is 96% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.91 $18.91

$11.67 MX$202

62.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.2 $76.2

$41.88 MX$726

81.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.98 $10.98

$10.40 MX$180

5.58%

Cappuccino

$4.97 $4.97

$3.61 MX$62.6

37.67%

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

$2.46 $2.46

$1.47 MX$25.45

67.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.91 MX$15.80

120.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 $5.85

$3.03 MX$52.6

93.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.93 $6.93

$4.47 MX$77.4

55.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.38 MX$23.83

-26.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 $3.58

$1.84 MX$31.93

94.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$1.61 MX$27.82

165.22%

Eggs

$4.26 $4.26

$2.57 MX$44.52

65.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.09 $12.09

$8.49 MX$147

42.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.40 $11.40

$8.49 MX$147

34.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.16 $15.16

$10.99 MX$190

37.94%

Apples (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$2.73 MX$47.25

84.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.50 MX$25.92

4.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.96 MX$33.93

121.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.63 $4.63

$2.12 MX$36.70

118.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$1.86 MX$32.30

48.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.17 MX$37.67

34.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.07 MX$18.59

98.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.05 MX$18.18

101.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.42 $9.42

$4.19 MX$72.6

124.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.21 $15.21

$10.28 MX$178

47.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.67 MX$28.87

5.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.49 MX$43.12

32.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.54 MX$9.37

277.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.10 MX$53.8

13.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 $1.67

$2.46 MX$42.66

-32.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.62 $29.62

$3.24 MX$56.1

814.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.26 MX$21.83

-28.57%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$30.2K MX$522.8K

-0.90%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$23.4K MX$406.3K

7.58%

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

$185 $185

$84.0 MX$1,456

120.42%

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

$53.8 $53.8

$22.21 MX$385

142.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.0 $67.0

$29.65 MX$514

125.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.36 $43.36

$52.6 MX$912

-17.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$13.24 $13.24

$4.95 MX$85.7

167.47%

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

$1,297 $1,297

$198 MX$3,438

553.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K $23.7K

$5,322 MX$92.2K

344.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 $51.8

$35.95 MX$623

43.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.41 $39.41

$40.06 MX$694

-1.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 $87.7

$78.8 MX$1,365

11.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$86.5 MX$1,499

28.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 $1,589

$977 MX$16.9K

62.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,371 $1,371

$471 MX$8,158

191.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,603 $2,603

$1,595 MX$27.6K

63.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,252 $2,252

$1,215 MX$21.1K

85.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,742 $2,742

$4,032 MX$69.9K

-31.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,322 $2,322

$6,579 MX$114.0K

-64.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

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 Mountain Home, ID: April 22, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,589 in Mountain Home, ID and $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $76 in Mountain Home, ID vs $42 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 108% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,932 in Mountain Home, ID and $1,891 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: $1,589 in Mountain Home, ID versus $977 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 $2,621 per month in Mountain Home, ID versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen – a 108% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,621 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 108% less than in Mountain Home, ID. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.