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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,719 in Nacogdoches, TX versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,503 in Nacogdoches, TX versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,288 in Nacogdoches, TX versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Nacogdoches, TX is roughly 37% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nacogdoches, TX is 29% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nacogdoches, TX
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.45 $13.45
$11.99 MX$209
12.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.96 $36.96
$41.78 MX$728
-11.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.14 $9.14
$10.75 MX$187
-14.98%
Cappuccino
$4.30 $4.30
$3.50 MX$60.9
22.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 $1.59
$1.45 MX$25.22
9.66%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18 $1.18
$0.88 MX$15.41
34.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.03 $5.03
$2.95 MX$51.3
70.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.76 $5.76
$4.51 MX$78.6
27.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nacogdoches, TX
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$1.43 MX$24.94
-33.57%
White Bread (500g)
$3.12 $3.12
$1.84 MX$31.99
69.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.00 $4.00
$1.57 MX$27.31
154.78%
Eggs
$3.33 $3.33
$2.51 MX$43.74
32.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.63 $9.63
$8.28 MX$144
16.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.46 $6.46
$8.43 MX$147
-23.37%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.47 $13.47
$10.68 MX$186
26.12%
Apples (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$2.61 MX$45.43
66.28%
Banana (1kg)
$1.28 $1.28
$1.44 MX$25.04
-11.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.85 $3.85
$1.96 MX$34.16
96.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.99 $3.99
$2.09 MX$36.47
90.91%
Potato (1kg)
$2.22 $2.22
$1.85 MX$32.24
20.00%
Onion (1kg)
$2.77 $2.77
$2.17 MX$37.74
27.65%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.02 $2.02
$1.03 MX$17.96
96.12%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.17 $2.17
$1.07 MX$18.70
102.80%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.43 $8.43
$4.10 MX$71.4
105.61%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.06 $12.06
$10.17 MX$177
18.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.88 $1.88
$1.68 MX$29.17
11.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 $4.47
$2.53 MX$43.98
76.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Nacogdoches, TX
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.06 $2.06
$0.51 MX$8.87
303.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$26.04 MX$453
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.01 $3.01
$3.23 MX$56.3
-6.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.79 $1.79
$2.41 MX$41.88
-25.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.20 $24.20
$3.23 MX$56.2
649.23%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.79 $0.79
$1.32 MX$23.00
-40.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.4K $24.4K
$29.7K MX$517.1K
-17.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.0K $25.0K
$23.7K MX$412.0K
5.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nacogdoches, TX
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$164 $164
$82.0 MX$1,428
100.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.52 $24.52
$22.95 MX$400
6.84%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$75.6 $75.6
$30.11 MX$524
150.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nacogdoches, TX
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.36 $34.36
$52.0 MX$905
-33.88%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.53 MX$323
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.46 $13.46
$4.98 MX$86.6
170.28%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nacogdoches, TX
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,856 $1,856
$197 MX$3,438
840.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.2K $23.2K
$5,336 MX$92.9K
335.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nacogdoches, TX
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.8 $59.8
$35.60 MX$620
67.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.54 $44.54
$40.33 MX$702
10.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$116 $116
$78.8 MX$1,371
47.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$126 $126
$88.9 MX$1,549
41.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nacogdoches, TX
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$895 $895
$947 MX$16.5K
-5.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$675 $675
$474 MX$8,254
42.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,217 $1,217
$1,644 MX$28.6K
-25.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,099 $1,099
$1,211 MX$21.1K
-9.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,056 MX$70.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,470 MX$112.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nacogdoches, TX
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,354 $5,354
$654 MX$11.4K
718.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.59
11.42
-42.29%

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

Last update for Nacogdoches, TX: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $895 in Nacogdoches, TX and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nacogdoches, TX pays 719% 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: $37.00 in Nacogdoches, TX vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $325 vs $249, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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
Nacogdoches, TX vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Nacogdoches, TX and in Playa del Carmen?
Nacogdoches, TX and Playa del Carmen differ by about 37% in total monthly costs ($1,719 vs $1,256 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Nacogdoches, TX or Playa del Carmen?
Average pay runs 719% higher in Nacogdoches, TX, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Nacogdoches, TX and in Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $895 in Nacogdoches, TX versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Nacogdoches, TX and Playa del Carmen?
Childcare runs $1,856 in Nacogdoches, TX versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $37.00 in Nacogdoches, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,719 in Nacogdoches, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Nacogdoches, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Nacogdoches, TX and Playa del Carmen?
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.
Where should expats move: Nacogdoches, TX or Playa del Carmen?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Nacogdoches, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Nacogdoches, TX vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities