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: $2,746 in Plano, TX versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,354 in Plano, TX versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,962 in Plano, TX versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Plano, TX is roughly 118% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Plano, TX is 106% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 $17.68

$11.72 MX$203

50.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.7 $74.7

$41.89 MX$725

78.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.91 $9.91

$10.51 MX$182

-5.71%

Cappuccino

$4.70 $4.70

$3.59 MX$62.0

30.92%

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

$2.58 $2.58

$1.51 MX$26.10

70.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$0.92 MX$15.83

107.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 $5.97

$2.96 MX$51.2

101.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.93 $6.93

$4.41 MX$76.3

57.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.40 MX$24.16

-33.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.88 MX$32.60

55.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$1.56 MX$26.97

207.05%

Eggs

$4.09 $4.09

$2.61 MX$45.14

56.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 $13.26

$8.32 MX$144

59.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.78 $13.78

$8.35 MX$145

65.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.80 $17.80

$10.86 MX$188

63.90%

Apples (1kg)

$6.09 $6.09

$2.71 MX$46.93

124.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.51 MX$26.04

-3.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$1.87 MX$32.41

132.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.17 $4.17

$2.19 MX$37.89

90.41%

Potato (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$1.86 MX$32.14

101.08%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.23 MX$38.59

37.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.07 MX$18.48

94.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.09 MX$18.79

118.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.19 $10.19

$4.19 MX$72.4

143.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.47 $15.47

$10.43 MX$180

48.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.66 MX$28.68

2.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 $3.42

$2.61 MX$45.19

31.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.94 $4.94

$0.54 MX$9.37

814.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$105 $105

$26.16 MX$453

303.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 $2.95

$3.08 MX$53.3

-4.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.40 MX$41.61

-25.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.46 $24.46

$3.13 MX$54.1

681.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.31 MX$22.69

-41.98%

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

$35.4K $35.4K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

18.76%

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

$28.5K $28.5K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

22.21%

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

$188 $188

$81.3 MX$1,406

131.34%

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

$45.57 $45.57

$22.56 MX$390

101.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.9 $63.9

$30.05 MX$520

112.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.0 $81.0

$52.9 MX$915

53.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.9 $50.9

$18.39 MX$318

176.51%

Cinema Ticket

$12.97 $12.97

$4.92 MX$85.1

163.62%

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

$1,145 $1,145

$201 MX$3,474

470.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K $18.2K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

251.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 $53.3

$35.92 MX$622

48.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 $37.86

$40.13 MX$694

-5.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$79.7 MX$1,379

27.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 $129

$86.5 MX$1,496

49.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,609 $1,609

$978 MX$16.9K

64.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 $1,335

$470 MX$8,140

183.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,032 $3,032

$1,651 MX$28.6K

83.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,735 $2,735

$1,203 MX$20.8K

127.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,396 $2,396

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-39.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,381 $2,381

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-63.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,731 $5,731

$677 MX$11.7K

746.93%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,609 in Plano, TX and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Plano, TX pays 747% 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: $75.0 in Plano, TX vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $414 vs $252 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 118% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 747% higher in Plano, TX, 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: $1,609 in Plano, TX versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,145 in Plano, TX versus $201 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 65% higher in Plano, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,746 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 118% less than in Plano, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.