Cost of Living Comparison Between Pembroke Pines, FL and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Pembroke Pines, FL and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,282 per month in Pembroke Pines, FL vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,628 per month in Pembroke Pines, FL vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,975 per month in Pembroke Pines, FL vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Pembroke Pines, FL costs about 153% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Pembroke Pines, FL sits 145% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.86 $20.86

$11.73 MX$205

77.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.0 $89.0

$41.62 MX$727

113.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.82 $9.82

$10.64 MX$186

-7.71%

Cappuccino

$4.94 $4.94

$3.52 MX$61.5

40.34%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$1.51 MX$26.37

74.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 $1.89

$0.97 MX$17.00

94.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.16 $6.16

$2.95 MX$51.5

108.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.67 $6.67

$4.45 MX$77.8

49.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.38 MX$24.16

-23.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.89 MX$33.04

55.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 $3.40

$1.64 MX$28.59

107.32%

Eggs

$4.05 $4.05

$2.51 MX$43.76

61.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.34 $11.34

$8.34 MX$146

35.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.01 $14.01

$8.34 MX$146

67.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.89 $17.89

$10.73 MX$187

66.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.81 $4.81

$2.60 MX$45.48

85.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.46 MX$25.45

14.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$1.90 MX$33.19

129.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$2.08 MX$36.26

158.17%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 $3.50

$1.78 MX$31.01

96.63%

Onion (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.19 MX$38.16

59.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.04 MX$18.16

114.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.08 MX$18.80

94.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.31 $8.31

$4.08 MX$71.3

103.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.17 $13.17

$10.32 MX$180

27.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.71 MX$29.90

-0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.58 MX$44.98

6.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.51 MX$8.90

296.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.91 $44.91

$26.46 MX$462

69.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.56 $2.56

$3.26 MX$57.0

-21.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.49 MX$43.51

-36.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.71 $21.71

$3.25 MX$56.7

568.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.31 MX$22.83

-37.40%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$30.3K MX$528.8K

-13.66%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$23.4K MX$409.2K

4.41%

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

$174 $174

$82.9 MX$1,447

109.81%

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

$45.58 $45.58

$22.22 MX$388

105.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 $70.5

$29.34 MX$512

140.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.83 $42.83

$51.6 MX$902

-17.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$15.04 $15.04

$5.07 MX$88.5

196.65%

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

$828 $828

$201 MX$3,507

312.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K $15.9K

$5,212 MX$91.0K

204.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.92 $46.92

$36.92 MX$645

27.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.63 $45.63

$39.79 MX$695

14.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 $93.9

$78.5 MX$1,370

19.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$87.1 MX$1,521

34.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,320 $2,320

$973 MX$17.0K

138.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,030 $2,030

$468 MX$8,169

333.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,113 $3,113

$1,641 MX$28.7K

89.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,943 $2,943

$1,221 MX$21.3K

141.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,435 $2,435

$3,946 MX$68.9K

-38.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,563 $3,563

$6,498 MX$113.5K

-45.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,462 $4,462

$664 MX$11.6K

572.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

11.42

-42.82%

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

Last update for Pembroke Pines, FL: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,320 in Pembroke Pines, FL versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 572% higher in Pembroke Pines, FL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Pembroke Pines, FL versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $398 vs $249 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Pembroke Pines, FL vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,282 in Pembroke Pines, FL, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 153% apart. Pembroke Pines, FL costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,923 per month in Pembroke Pines, FL and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 70% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $828 per month in Pembroke Pines, FL and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Pembroke Pines, FL at $3,282. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pembroke Pines, FL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,297 in Playa del Carmen to $3,282 in Pembroke Pines, FL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Pembroke Pines, FL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.