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: $2,641 in Plano, TX versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,148 in Plano, TX versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,655 in Plano, TX versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Plano, TX is roughly 109% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Plano, TX is 93% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.32 $20.32

$11.60 MX$199

75.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.2 $76.2

$47.11 MX$809

61.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.70 $10.70

$11.88 MX$204

-9.93%

Cappuccino

$5.41 $5.41

$3.98 MX$68.2

35.93%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$1.43 MX$24.49

84.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 $2.32

$0.82 MX$14.16

182.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.95 $6.95

$3.19 MX$54.7

117.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.57 $7.57

$6.79 MX$117

11.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.68 MX$28.76

-39.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.20 MX$37.71

49.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$1.71 MX$29.32

141.52%

Eggs

$4.80 $4.80

$2.74 MX$47.05

75.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 $13.27

$9.58 MX$164

38.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.07 $11.07

$9.01 MX$155

22.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.32 $18.32

$12.81 MX$220

43.01%

Apples (1kg)

$5.89 $5.89

$2.89 MX$49.58

103.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.50 MX$25.70

3.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.85 $4.85

$2.15 MX$36.87

125.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$2.26 MX$38.79

78.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.98 MX$34.00

35.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$1.99 MX$34.15

45.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.23 MX$21.18

56.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.20 MX$20.54

133.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.73 $9.73

$4.55 MX$78.1

113.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.21 $16.21

$10.37 MX$178

56.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.62 MX$27.79

4.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 $3.88

$2.88 MX$49.44

34.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.58 $4.58

$0.60 MX$10.30

663.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 $104

$28.80 MX$494

260.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$5.39 MX$92.5

-43.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$3.73 MX$64.0

-53.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.17 $24.17

$5.77 MX$99.0

318.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.54 MX$26.37

-41.56%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$22.5K MX$387.0K

61.50%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.1K MX$447.3K

-0.17%

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

$202 $202

$91.4 MX$1,569

120.87%

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

$46.80 $46.80

$25.20 MX$433

85.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.9 $54.9

$31.24 MX$536

75.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.1 $93.1

$67.2 MX$1,154

38.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.93 $3.93

$29.11 MX$500

-86.50%

Cinema Ticket

$14.85 $14.85

$4.86 MX$83.5

205.56%

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

$1,324 $1,324

$224 MX$3,839

492.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.3K $18.3K

$4,229 MX$72.6K

332.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 $58.5

$47.10 MX$808

24.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.65 $37.65

$44.29 MX$760

-14.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 $85.8

$80.1 MX$1,375

7.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$92.7 MX$1,591

29.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,517 $1,517

$1,063 MX$18.2K

42.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 $1,212

$390 MX$6,698

210.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,149 MX$36.9K

26.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,393 $2,393

$1,272 MX$21.8K

88.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,360 $2,360

$4,001 MX$68.7K

-41.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,420 $2,420

$6,502 MX$111.6K

-62.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,593 $5,593

$758 MX$13.0K

637.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.28

11.45

-45.15%

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

Last update for Plano, TX: September 15, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,517 in Plano, TX and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Plano, TX pays 638% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $411 vs $276 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 109% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 638% 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: $1,517 in Plano, TX versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,324 in Plano, TX versus $224 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 49% higher in Plano, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,641 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 109% less than in Plano, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.