Cost of Living Comparison Between Nashville, TN and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Nashville, TN and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,807 in Nashville, TN versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,224 in Nashville, TN versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,641 in Nashville, TN versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Nashville, TN is roughly 117% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nashville, TN is 104% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 $18.26

$11.71 MX$199

55.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.4 $81.4

$46.59 MX$791

74.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.16 $12.16

$11.65 MX$198

4.38%

Cappuccino

$6.70 $6.70

$4.09 MX$69.5

63.81%

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

$2.82 $2.82

$1.37 MX$23.34

105.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$0.83 MX$14.16

198.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.82 $6.82

$3.35 MX$56.9

103.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.01 $8.01

$6.91 MX$117

15.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.73 MX$29.33

-34.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$2.26 MX$38.39

67.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.03 $4.03

$1.77 MX$30.05

127.68%

Eggs

$4.34 $4.34

$2.73 MX$46.41

58.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 $12.76

$9.18 MX$156

39.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.27 $14.27

$8.92 MX$151

59.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.61 $18.61

$12.60 MX$214

47.70%

Apples (1kg)

$5.84 $5.84

$3.02 MX$51.3

93.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.57 MX$26.68

-7.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.17 $4.17

$2.13 MX$36.10

95.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$2.26 MX$38.46

118.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 $2.68

$2.00 MX$34.04

34.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.06 MX$35.06

52.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.18 MX$20.04

95.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.20 MX$20.45

85.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.59 $10.59

$4.63 MX$78.7

128.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.84 $15.84

$10.69 MX$182

48.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.62 MX$27.50

52.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.72 $4.72

$2.88 MX$48.93

63.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.57 MX$9.74

243.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.3 $64.3

$29.83 MX$507

115.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.86 $4.86

$5.45 MX$92.5

-10.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$3.70 MX$62.9

-58.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.80 $20.80

$5.98 MX$102

247.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.55 MX$26.38

-35.48%

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

$37.0K $37.0K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

65.85%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

5.90%

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

$229 $229

$89.1 MX$1,514

156.85%

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

$72.9 $72.9

$25.04 MX$425

191.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.2 $75.2

$31.50 MX$535

138.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$67.8 MX$1,151

-20.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.32 $14.32

$28.92 MX$491

-50.48%

Cinema Ticket

$14.87 $14.87

$5.05 MX$85.8

194.46%

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

$1,445 $1,445

$225 MX$3,820

542.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.2K $30.2K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

615.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.1 $56.1

$47.44 MX$806

18.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.63 $43.63

$44.98 MX$764

-3.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 $93.8

$82.0 MX$1,392

14.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 $139

$92.1 MX$1,564

50.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 $1,925

$1,069 MX$18.2K

80.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,402 $1,402

$405 MX$6,884

245.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,358 $4,358

$1,935 MX$32.9K

125.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,431 $2,431

$1,301 MX$22.1K

86.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,029 $8,029

$3,995 MX$67.9K

100.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,659 $2,659

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-59.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,722 $4,722

$749 MX$12.7K

530.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.07

11.45

-46.99%

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

Last update for Nashville, TN: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,925 in Nashville, TN and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nashville, TN pays 531% 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: $81.0 in Nashville, TN vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $431 vs $277 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

Nashville, TN vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nashville, TN and Playa del Carmen differ by about 117% in total monthly costs ($2,807 vs $1,293 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 531% higher in Nashville, TN, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,925 in Nashville, TN versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,445 in Nashville, TN versus $225 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 56% higher in Nashville, TN. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,807 in Nashville, TN, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Nashville, TN. 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 117% less than in Nashville, TN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.