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: $3,005 in Nashville, TN versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,609 in Nashville, TN versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,213 in Nashville, TN versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Nashville, TN is roughly 139% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nashville, TN is 125% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.97 $17.97

$11.99 MX$210

49.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.3 $81.3

$41.78 MX$731

94.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.18 $10.18

$10.75 MX$188

-5.30%

Cappuccino

$5.81 $5.81

$3.50 MX$61.1

66.00%

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

$2.98 $2.98

$1.45 MX$25.33

105.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$0.88 MX$15.47

185.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.66 $6.66

$2.95 MX$51.6

125.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.19 $8.19

$4.51 MX$78.9

81.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.43 MX$25.04

-18.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.97 $3.97

$1.84 MX$32.13

115.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.58 $4.58

$1.57 MX$27.42

191.72%

Eggs

$3.94 $3.94

$2.51 MX$43.92

56.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.02 $12.02

$8.28 MX$145

45.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.54 $15.54

$8.43 MX$147

84.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.39 $16.39

$10.68 MX$187

53.46%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$2.61 MX$45.62

73.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.44 MX$25.15

1.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 $5.73

$1.96 MX$34.31

192.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.32 $5.32

$2.09 MX$36.62

154.55%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$1.85 MX$32.37

92.97%

Onion (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$2.17 MX$37.90

82.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.03 MX$18.04

99.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.07 MX$18.78

159.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.07 $9.07

$4.10 MX$71.7

121.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.63 $15.63

$10.17 MX$178

53.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.68 MX$29.29

20.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 $4.31

$2.53 MX$44.17

70.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.51 MX$8.90

284.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 $68.1

$26.04 MX$455

161.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.09 $5.09

$3.23 MX$56.5

57.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 $1.56

$2.41 MX$42.06

-35.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.82 $20.82

$3.23 MX$56.5

544.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.32 MX$23.10

-35.61%

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

$31.9K $31.9K

$29.7K MX$519.2K

7.37%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$23.7K MX$413.7K

11.45%

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

$201 $201

$82.0 MX$1,434

144.57%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$22.95 MX$401

200.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.4 $72.4

$30.11 MX$527

140.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.04 $41.04

$52.0 MX$909

-21.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.86 $17.86

$18.53 MX$324

-3.62%

Cinema Ticket

$14.97 $14.97

$4.98 MX$87.0

200.60%

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

$1,260 $1,260

$197 MX$3,452

538.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.2K $30.2K

$5,336 MX$93.3K

465.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 $61.0

$35.60 MX$622

71.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.58 $47.58

$40.33 MX$705

17.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 $91.4

$78.8 MX$1,377

16.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 $136

$88.9 MX$1,555

52.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,861 $1,861

$947 MX$16.6K

96.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,642 $1,642

$474 MX$8,288

246.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,097 $4,097

$1,644 MX$28.7K

149.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,997 $2,997

$1,211 MX$21.2K

147.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,769 $7,769

$4,056 MX$70.9K

91.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,644 $2,644

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-59.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,462 $4,462

$654 MX$11.4K

582.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.52

11.42

-42.91%

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

Last update for Nashville, TN: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,861 in Nashville, TN and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nashville, TN pays 582% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $439 vs $249 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 139% in total monthly costs ($3,005 vs $1,256 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 582% 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: $1,861 in Nashville, TN versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,260 in Nashville, TN versus $197 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 77% higher in Nashville, TN. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,005 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 139% less than in Nashville, TN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.