Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Apple Valley, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Apple Valley, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,591 in Apple Valley, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,679 in Apple Valley, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,766 in Apple Valley, CA.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 51% less than in Apple Valley, CA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Apple Valley, CA is 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$20.13 $20.13

-41.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$47.40 $47.40

-11.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$11.16 $11.16

-5.82%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$4.90 $4.90

-26.73%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$2.43 $2.43

-37.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$1.96 $1.96

-53.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$6.07 $6.07

-51.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$7.58 $7.58

-41.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.05 $1.05

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$3.60 $3.60

-47.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$4.45 $4.45

-64.94%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$4.32 $4.32

-39.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$12.43 $12.43

-33.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$11.31 $11.31

-26.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$15.44 $15.44

-29.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$5.02 $5.02

-46.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.59 $1.59

-5.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$4.31 $4.31

-56.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$4.80 $4.80

-54.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$2.85 $2.85

-34.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$2.78 $2.78

-19.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$2.00 $2.00

-46.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$2.19 $2.19

-50.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$9.73 $9.73

-56.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$13.28 $13.28

-21.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.79 $1.79

-7.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$3.28 $3.28

-20.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$1.96 $1.96

-72.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$3.60 $3.60

-14.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$1.64 $1.64

46.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$29.62 $29.62

-89.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$0.86 $0.86

52.33%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$29.2K $29.2K

1.99%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$25.8K $25.8K

-9.78%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$187 $187

-56.56%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$52.4 $52.4

-56.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$68.8 $68.8

-56.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$43.60 $43.60

21.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$13.31 $13.31

-63.04%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$1,281 $1,281

-84.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$23.7K $23.7K

-78.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$50.4 $50.4

-28.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$40.25 $40.25

-0.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$85.9 $85.9

-7.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$111 $111

-22.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$1,631 $1,631

-40.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$1,337 $1,337

-64.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$2,622 $2,622

-37.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$2,242 $2,242

-46.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$2,747 $2,747

43.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$2,329 $2,329

183.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$5,701 $5,701

-88.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.51

75.42%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Apple Valley, CA: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $1,631 in Apple Valley, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Apple Valley, CA pays 743% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $47.00 in Apple Valley, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $388 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

Playa del Carmen vs Apple Valley, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 106% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 743% lower in Apple Valley, CA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,631 in Apple Valley, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,281 in Apple Valley, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $47.00 in Apple Valley, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,591 in Apple Valley, CA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Apple Valley, CA. 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 Apple Valley, CA, 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 106% less than in Apple Valley, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.