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: $2,789 in Plano, TX versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,342 in Plano, TX versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,895 in Plano, TX versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Plano, TX is roughly 117% 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 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.84 $17.84

$11.94 MX$209

49.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.3 $76.3

$42.75 MX$748

78.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.12 $10.12

$10.59 MX$185

-4.44%

Cappuccino

$4.70 $4.70

$3.62 MX$63.4

29.83%

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

$2.48 $2.48

$1.47 MX$25.69

68.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.94 MX$16.51

109.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.90 $5.90

$3.09 MX$54.1

90.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 $7.15

$4.46 MX$78.0

60.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.43 MX$24.94

-34.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.88 MX$32.97

63.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.81 $4.81

$1.63 MX$28.50

195.09%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$2.64 MX$46.26

63.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.45 $13.45

$8.21 MX$144

63.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.89 $13.89

$8.29 MX$145

67.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.83 $17.83

$11.10 MX$194

60.63%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$2.65 MX$46.40

128.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.50 MX$26.26

-4.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.99 MX$34.79

118.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$2.08 MX$36.33

97.12%

Potato (1kg)

$3.76 $3.76

$1.79 MX$31.29

110.06%

Onion (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.18 MX$38.09

44.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.08 MX$18.84

95.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.04 MX$18.15

127.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.11 $10.11

$3.97 MX$69.5

154.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.29 $15.29

$10.20 MX$179

49.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.73 MX$30.22

-2.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.50 MX$43.71

34.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.04 $5.04

$0.52 MX$9.07

869.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$26.97 MX$472

294.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 $3.02

$3.14 MX$55.0

-3.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.40 MX$42.04

-26.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.59 $23.59

$3.09 MX$54.0

663.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 $0.74

$1.27 MX$22.28

-41.73%

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

$35.4K $35.4K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

14.50%

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

$28.1K $28.1K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

20.64%

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

$186 $186

$82.0 MX$1,435

126.90%

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

$45.69 $45.69

$22.45 MX$393

103.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 $63.3

$29.66 MX$519

113.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.4 $79.4

$51.9 MX$908

53.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.0 $50.0

$18.67 MX$327

167.97%

Cinema Ticket

$12.68 $12.68

$4.97 MX$87.0

155.13%

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

$1,153 $1,153

$198 MX$3,462

482.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K $17.7K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

235.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 $54.0

$36.34 MX$636

48.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.88 $37.88

$40.05 MX$701

-5.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$79.9 MX$1,398

29.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 $132

$88.9 MX$1,555

48.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,616 $1,616

$963 MX$16.9K

67.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,359 $1,359

$465 MX$8,133

192.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,037 $3,037

$1,596 MX$27.9K

90.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,770 $2,770

$1,209 MX$21.2K

129.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,333 $2,333

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-40.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,397 $2,397

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-62.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,725 $5,725

$720 MX$12.6K

694.76%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,616 in Plano, TX and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Plano, TX pays 695% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $417 vs $251 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 117% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Plano, TX pays 695% 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: $1,616 in Plano, TX versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,153 in Plano, TX versus $198 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 66% higher in Plano, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,789 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 117% less than in Plano, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.