Cost of Living Comparison Between Oxford, MS and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Oxford, MS and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,348 in Oxford, MS versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,946 in Oxford, MS versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,545 in Oxford, MS versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Oxford, MS is roughly 80% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Oxford, MS is 70% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.09 $17.09

$11.96 MX$203

42.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.6 $59.6

$47.38 MX$804

25.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.20 $11.20

$11.75 MX$199

-4.68%

Cappuccino

$4.91 $4.91

$4.12 MX$70.0

19.17%

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

$1.51 $1.51

$1.40 MX$23.74

7.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$0.91 MX$15.48

103.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.44 $4.44

$3.21 MX$54.4

38.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 $7.13

$7.07 MX$120

0.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.68 MX$28.44

-48.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.15 MX$36.48

35.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.77 MX$30.10

54.24%

Eggs

$4.03 $4.03

$2.82 MX$47.76

42.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.76 $9.76

$9.20 MX$156

6.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 $9.87

$9.23 MX$157

6.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.38 $15.38

$12.64 MX$214

21.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$2.95 MX$50.1

32.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.58 MX$26.79

-12.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$2.22 MX$37.70

75.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.36 MX$40.09

30.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.99 MX$33.81

31.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.98 MX$33.58

11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.24 MX$21.04

41.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.21 MX$20.55

53.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.32 $7.32

$4.60 MX$78.1

59.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.02 $12.02

$10.52 MX$178

14.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.69 MX$28.70

1.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 $3.19

$2.77 MX$47.06

15.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.24 $4.24

$5.24 MX$88.8

-19.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

$3.65 MX$61.9

-48.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.65 $32.65

$5.78 MX$98.1

464.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 $0.73

$1.54 MX$26.09

-52.60%

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

$20.4K $20.4K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

-10.69%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

0.19%

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

$141 $141

$90.7 MX$1,538

55.28%

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

$49.50 $49.50

$25.19 MX$427

96.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 $66.1

$31.75 MX$539

108.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.92 $24.92

$68.8 MX$1,167

-63.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$12.08 $12.08

$4.86 MX$82.5

148.56%

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

$1,524 $1,524

$226 MX$3,828

575.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,315 $8,315

$4,194 MX$71.1K

98.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 $63.0

$47.38 MX$804

32.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 $52.7

$43.45 MX$737

21.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 $85.3

$80.2 MX$1,361

6.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$168 $168

$91.4 MX$1,550

83.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 $1,295

$1,086 MX$18.4K

19.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 $1,255

$409 MX$6,933

206.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,103 $3,103

$1,972 MX$33.5K

57.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,153 $3,153

$1,281 MX$21.7K

146.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,365 $3,365

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-16.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,954 $2,954

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-55.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,844 $4,844

$773 MX$13.1K

526.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.23

11.45

-45.59%

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

Last update for Oxford, MS: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,295 in Oxford, MS and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oxford, MS pays 526% 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: $60.0 in Oxford, MS vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $329 vs $278 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

Oxford, MS vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 80% lower than in Oxford, MS. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 526% higher in Oxford, MS, 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: $1,295 in Oxford, MS versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Oxford, MS. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,348 per month in Oxford, MS versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – a 80% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,348 in Oxford, MS, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Oxford, MS. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,305 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Oxford, MS. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.