Cost of Living Comparison Between Oxnard, CA and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Oxnard, CA and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,255 in Oxnard, CA versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,270 in Oxnard, CA versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,285 in Oxnard, CA versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Oxnard, CA is roughly 152% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Oxnard, CA is 137% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.34 $20.34

$11.71 MX$199

73.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.2 $65.2

$46.59 MX$791

39.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.70 $12.70

$11.65 MX$198

9.01%

Cappuccino

$5.81 $5.81

$4.09 MX$69.5

42.05%

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

$3.09 $3.09

$1.37 MX$23.34

125.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$0.83 MX$14.16

181.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.03 $8.03

$3.35 MX$56.9

139.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.07 $10.07

$6.91 MX$117

45.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.73 MX$29.33

-21.97%

White Bread (500g)

$5.64 $5.64

$2.26 MX$38.39

149.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$1.77 MX$30.05

177.40%

Eggs

$5.64 $5.64

$2.73 MX$46.41

106.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.23 $12.23

$9.18 MX$156

33.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.47 $13.47

$8.92 MX$151

51.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.53 $20.53

$12.60 MX$214

62.94%

Apples (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$3.02 MX$51.3

42.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.57 MX$26.68

18.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$2.13 MX$36.10

113.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.06 $5.06

$2.26 MX$38.46

123.89%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$2.00 MX$34.04

62.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.06 MX$35.06

-6.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.18 MX$20.04

77.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.20 MX$20.45

83.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.17 $10.17

$4.63 MX$78.7

119.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.43 $16.43

$10.69 MX$182

53.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.62 MX$27.50

8.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.88 MX$48.93

8.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.53 $1.53

$0.57 MX$9.74

168.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$507

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 $3.03

$5.45 MX$92.5

-44.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 $2.11

$3.70 MX$62.9

-42.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.31 $28.31

$5.98 MX$102

373.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.55 MX$26.38

-21.94%

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

$37.1K $37.1K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

66.02%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

0.88%

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

$128 $128

$89.1 MX$1,514

43.85%

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

$52.9 $52.9

$25.04 MX$425

111.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 $70.5

$31.50 MX$535

123.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.9 $60.9

$67.8 MX$1,151

-10.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

Cinema Ticket

$15.41 $15.41

$5.05 MX$85.8

205.15%

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

$1,209 $1,209

$225 MX$3,820

437.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.7K $36.7K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

770.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.63 $37.63

$47.44 MX$806

-20.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.6 $56.6

$44.98 MX$764

25.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.4 $60.4

$82.0 MX$1,392

-26.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.3 $81.3

$92.1 MX$1,564

-11.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,047 $2,047

$1,069 MX$18.2K

91.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,977 $1,977

$405 MX$6,884

387.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,294 $3,294

$1,935 MX$32.9K

70.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,436 $2,436

$1,301 MX$22.1K

87.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,901 $5,901

$3,995 MX$67.9K

47.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,830 $5,830

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-12.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,404 $3,404

$749 MX$12.7K

354.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

11.45

-46.72%

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

Last update for Oxnard, CA: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,047 in Oxnard, CA and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oxnard, CA pays 355% 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: $65.0 in Oxnard, CA vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $450 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

Oxnard, CA vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 152% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 355% higher in Oxnard, CA, 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: $2,047 in Oxnard, CA versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 63% higher in Oxnard, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,255 per month in Oxnard, CA versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 152% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,255 in Oxnard, CA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Oxnard, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Oxnard, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 152% less than in Oxnard, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.