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: $3,028 in Oxnard, CA versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,808 in Oxnard, CA versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,589 in Oxnard, CA versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Oxnard, CA is roughly 134% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Oxnard, CA is 126% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.80 $18.80

$11.73 MX$203

60.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 $58.1

$41.62 MX$721

39.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.05 $10.05

$10.64 MX$184

-5.55%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$3.52 MX$61.0

58.81%

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

$2.66 $2.66

$1.51 MX$26.17

76.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.97 MX$16.87

111.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.98 $7.98

$2.95 MX$51.1

170.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.10 $9.10

$4.45 MX$77.2

104.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.38 MX$23.97

-20.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.89 MX$32.78

-29.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.64 MX$28.37

8.54%

Eggs

$4.44 $4.44

$2.51 MX$43.42

76.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.65 $12.65

$8.34 MX$145

51.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.49 $11.49

$8.34 MX$145

37.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.43 $14.43

$10.73 MX$186

34.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.60 MX$45.12

-15.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.46 MX$25.25

21.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$1.90 MX$32.94

44.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.08 MX$35.98

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.78 MX$30.77

-28.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.19 MX$37.87

-15.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.04 MX$18.02

58.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.08 MX$18.66

87.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.20 $10.20

$4.08 MX$70.7

150.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.22 $15.22

$10.32 MX$179

47.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.71 MX$29.67

-1.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 $4.50

$2.58 MX$44.63

74.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 $1.52

$0.51 MX$8.83

198.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.96 $3.96

$3.26 MX$56.5

21.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.49 MX$43.17

-16.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.69 $31.69

$3.25 MX$56.3

875.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.31 MX$22.65

-3.05%

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

$29.0K $29.0K

$30.3K MX$524.7K

-4.37%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$23.4K MX$406.0K

13.17%

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

$176 $176

$82.9 MX$1,436

111.97%

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

$53.6 $53.6

$22.22 MX$385

141.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 $59.4

$29.34 MX$508

102.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 $37.88

$51.6 MX$895

-26.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$13.72 $13.72

$5.07 MX$87.8

170.61%

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

$1,809 $1,809

$201 MX$3,480

800.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.8K $40.8K

$5,212 MX$90.3K

682.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.76 $37.76

$36.92 MX$640

2.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.04 $41.04

$39.79 MX$689

3.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.8 $59.8

$78.5 MX$1,360

-23.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 $79.4

$87.1 MX$1,509

-8.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,986 $1,986

$973 MX$16.9K

104.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 $1,941

$468 MX$8,105

315.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,202 $3,202

$1,641 MX$28.4K

95.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,242 $2,242

$1,221 MX$21.2K

83.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,827 $5,827

$3,946 MX$68.4K

47.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,823 $5,823

$6,498 MX$112.6K

-10.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,338 $3,338

$664 MX$11.5K

402.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

11.42

-43.52%

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

Last update for Oxnard, CA: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,986 in Oxnard, CA and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oxnard, CA pays 403% 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: $58.0 in Oxnard, CA vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 134% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Oxnard, CA pays 403% more on average, 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: $1,986 in Oxnard, CA versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Oxnard, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,028 per month in Oxnard, CA versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 134% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,028 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 134% less than in Oxnard, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.