😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,493 in O'Fallon, MO versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,476 in O'Fallon, MO versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,458 in O'Fallon, MO versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Living in O'Fallon, MO is roughly 94% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: O'Fallon, MO is 86% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
O'Fallon, MO
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.06$20.06
$11.94MX$208
68.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.8$80.8
$42.75MX$744
88.91%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.39$9.39
$10.59MX$184
-11.33%
Cappuccino
$3.56$3.56
$3.62MX$63.0
-1.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28$2.28
$1.47MX$25.54
55.10%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52$1.52
$0.94MX$16.41
61.70%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.55$2.55
$3.09MX$53.8
-17.48%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.41$3.41
$4.46MX$77.6
-23.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
O'Fallon, MO
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.95$0.95
$1.43MX$24.80
-33.57%
White Bread(500g)
$3.26$3.26
$1.88MX$32.79
73.40%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.29$3.29
$1.63MX$28.34
101.84%
Eggs
$2.91$2.91
$2.64MX$45.99
10.23%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.21$7.21
$8.21MX$143
-12.18%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.33$10.33
$8.29MX$144
24.61%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.99$12.99
$11.10MX$193
17.03%
Apples(1kg)
$4.53$4.53
$2.65MX$46.14
70.94%
Banana(1kg)
$1.45$1.45
$1.50MX$26.11
-3.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$6.17$6.17
$1.99MX$34.59
210.05%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.57$5.57
$2.08MX$36.13
167.79%
Potato(1kg)
$3.60$3.60
$1.79MX$31.11
101.12%
Onion(1kg)
$2.80$2.80
$2.18MX$37.87
28.44%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.74$1.74
$1.08MX$18.73
61.11%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.01$2.01
$1.04MX$18.04
93.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.97$5.97
$3.97MX$69.1
50.38%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.67$8.67
$10.20MX$178
-15.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.95$1.95
$1.73MX$30.04
12.72%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22$2.22
$2.50MX$43.46
-11.20%
🚌 Getting Around
O'Fallon, MO
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.02$2.02
$0.52MX$9.02
288.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$213$213
$26.97MX$469
691.51%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.45$2.45
$3.14MX$54.7
-21.97%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.27$2.27
$2.40MX$41.80
-5.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$20.87$20.87
$3.09MX$53.7
575.40%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.76$0.76
$1.27MX$22.16
-40.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.6K$23.6K
$30.9KMX$537.3K
-23.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.0K$24.0K
$23.3KMX$405.7K
3.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
O'Fallon, MO
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124$124
$82.0MX$1,427
51.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.6$59.6
$22.45MX$391
165.39%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$54.2$54.2
$29.66MX$516
82.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
O'Fallon, MO
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.28$42.28
$51.9MX$903
-18.49%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.67MX$325
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.39$10.39
$4.97MX$86.5
109.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
O'Fallon, MO
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,003$1,003
$198MX$3,442
407.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$19.6K$19.6K
$5,273MX$91.7K
272.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
O'Fallon, MO
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.5$52.5
$36.34MX$632
44.39%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.83$42.83
$40.05MX$697
6.94%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$76.1$76.1
$79.9MX$1,390
-4.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.3$70.3
$88.9MX$1,547
-20.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
O'Fallon, MO
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,205$1,205
$963MX$16.8K
25.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,207$1,207
$465MX$8,086
159.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,725$1,725
$1,596MX$27.8K
8.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,649$1,649
$1,209MX$21.0K
36.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,572$1,572
$3,942MX$68.6K
-60.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,603$1,603
$6,448MX$112.2K
-75.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
O'Fallon, MO
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$5,614$5,614
$720MX$12.5K
679.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.25
11.42
-45.27%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for O'Fallon, MO: April 26, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,205 in O'Fallon, MO and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰O'Fallon, MO pays 679% 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 O'Fallon, MO vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $342 vs $251 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
O'Fallon, MO vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, O'Fallon, MO or Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 94% lower than in O'Fallon, MO. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in O'Fallon, MO or Playa del Carmen?
O'Fallon, MO pays 679% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in O'Fallon, MO vs Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,205 in O'Fallon, MO versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in O'Fallon, MO and Playa del Carmen?
Childcare runs $1,003 in O'Fallon, MO versus $198 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in O'Fallon, MO or Playa del Carmen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in O'Fallon, MO. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,500/month in O'Fallon, MO or Playa del Carmen?
At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,493 in O'Fallon, MO, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in O'Fallon, MO. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, O'Fallon, MO or Playa del Carmen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,287 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 94% less than in O'Fallon, MO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
O'Fallon, MO vs other spots: cost of living compared