Cost of Living Comparison Between Plano, TX and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Plano, TX and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,772 in Plano, TX versus $1,294 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,343 in Plano, TX versus $2,189 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,913 in Plano, TX versus $3,084 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Plano, TX is roughly 114% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Plano, TX is 108% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.06 $18.06

$11.73 MX$202

53.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.4 $76.4

$41.78 MX$719

82.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.06 $10.06

$10.41 MX$179

-3.36%

Cappuccino

$4.85 $4.85

$3.61 MX$62.1

34.35%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$1.46 MX$25.06

70.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$0.97 MX$16.70

96.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.15 $6.15

$2.92 MX$50.3

110.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.81 $6.81

$4.62 MX$79.5

47.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.43 MX$24.59

-31.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.90 MX$32.70

60.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.82 $4.82

$1.57 MX$26.95

207.01%

Eggs

$4.26 $4.26

$2.64 MX$45.34

61.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.21 $13.21

$8.44 MX$145

56.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.04 $14.04

$8.58 MX$148

63.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.22 $17.22

$11.00 MX$189

56.55%

Apples (1kg)

$6.14 $6.14

$2.70 MX$46.51

127.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.51 MX$25.92

-8.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$1.91 MX$32.93

119.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$2.17 MX$37.37

86.18%

Potato (1kg)

$3.59 $3.59

$1.87 MX$32.25

91.98%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.23 MX$38.43

38.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.08 MX$18.60

94.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.07 MX$18.47

119.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.12 $10.12

$4.16 MX$71.6

143.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.15 $15.15

$10.29 MX$177

47.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.68 MX$28.95

5.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.53 MX$43.59

35.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.92 $4.92

$0.55 MX$9.53

794.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 $104

$26.29 MX$452

293.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 $3.06

$3.20 MX$55.0

-4.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 $1.73

$2.46 MX$42.37

-29.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.84 $23.84

$3.20 MX$55.0

645.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.32 MX$22.72

-39.39%

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

$34.7K $34.7K

$30.2K MX$518.8K

15.10%

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

$28.0K $28.0K

$23.4K MX$402.5K

19.85%

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

$185 $185

$81.4 MX$1,400

127.08%

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

$45.70 $45.70

$22.41 MX$386

103.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.6 $64.6

$29.97 MX$516

115.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.6 $81.6

$51.6 MX$887

58.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.94 $49.94

$18.39 MX$316

171.56%

Cinema Ticket

$12.60 $12.60

$5.16 MX$88.9

144.19%

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

$1,168 $1,168

$202 MX$3,471

478.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K $17.7K

$5,311 MX$91.4K

232.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 $54.1

$35.61 MX$613

52.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.66 $38.66

$40.37 MX$695

-4.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$78.6 MX$1,353

32.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 $127

$86.9 MX$1,495

46.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 $1,633

$950 MX$16.3K

71.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,341 $1,341

$478 MX$8,227

180.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,944 $2,944

$1,621 MX$27.9K

81.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,771 $2,771

$1,223 MX$21.0K

126.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,425 $2,425

$4,009 MX$69.0K

-39.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,372 $2,372

$6,473 MX$111.4K

-63.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,759 $5,759

$673 MX$11.6K

755.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

11.42

-44.31%

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

Last update for Plano, TX: June 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Plano, TX and $950 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Plano, TX pays 756% 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: $76.0 in Plano, TX vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $414 vs $254 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

Plano, TX vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 114% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Plano, TX pays 756% 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: $1,633 in Plano, TX versus $950 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,168 in Plano, TX versus $202 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

At $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,772 in Plano, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Plano, TX. 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 Plano, TX, 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 114% less than in Plano, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.