Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,210 a month against $2,439 in Arlington, TX, rent and utilities included – about $14,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index
117

Cost of Living Index in Arlington, TX
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Arlington, TX Living Index

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Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,210

/mo nomad

Arlington, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,439

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Arlington, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Arlington, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,210 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,439 in Arlington, TX.

Playa del Carmen $1,210
Arlington, TX $2,439

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,113 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,647 in Arlington, TX.

Playa del Carmen $2,113
Arlington, TX $3,647

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,016 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,855 in Arlington, TX.

Playa del Carmen $3,016
Arlington, TX $4,855

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 50% less than in Arlington, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 10% below, Arlington, TX is 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.76 MX$199

$20.39 $20.39

-47.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.03 MX$795

$55.3 $55.3

-22.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.79 MX$218

$10.11 $10.11

16.62%

Cappuccino

$3.87 MX$71.4

$4.86 $4.86

-20.37%

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

$1.37 MX$25.29

$2.56 $2.56

-46.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 MX$15.44

$2.29 $2.29

-63.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.10 MX$57.3

$5.38 $5.38

-42.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 MX$93.6

$6.68 $6.68

-24.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$26.55

$0.78 $0.78

84.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 MX$41.23

$3.64 $3.64

-38.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 MX$27.17

$5.26 $5.26

-72.05%

Eggs

$2.53 MX$46.71

$2.67 $2.67

-5.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.30 MX$135

$10.60 $10.60

-31.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.86 MX$145

$13.10 $13.10

-40.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.79 MX$236

$18.02 $18.02

-29.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 MX$53.6

$4.44 $4.44

-34.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$26.53

$2.66 $2.66

-45.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 MX$47.07

$5.12 $5.12

-50.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$38.03

$4.02 $4.02

-48.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$36.97

$2.53 $2.53

-20.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$37.07

$2.98 $2.98

-32.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 MX$22.02

$1.90 $1.90

-37.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 MX$23.23

$2.06 $2.06

-38.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 MX$81.4

$9.52 $9.52

-53.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.59 MX$177

$12.03 $12.03

-20.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 MX$29.41

$2.01 $2.01

-20.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 MX$51.9

$3.36 $3.36

-16.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$10.47

$6.09 $6.09

-90.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.82 MX$514

$40.51 $40.51

-31.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 MX$92.1

$2.93 $2.93

69.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.50 MX$64.6

$1.70 $1.70

105.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 MX$99.8

$23.81 $23.81

-77.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MX$27.08

$0.94 $0.94

56.38%

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

$21.0K MX$387.8K

$35.8K $35.8K

-41.37%

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

$23.9K MX$441.8K

$25.7K $25.7K

-7.05%

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

$84.2 MX$1,556

$211 $211

-60.08%

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

$23.99 MX$443

$66.4 $66.4

-63.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.02 MX$536

$64.1 $64.1

-54.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.0 MX$1,164

$40.87 $40.87

54.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.14 MX$539

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 MX$91.3

$14.74 $14.74

-66.49%

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

$204 MX$3,763

$1,332 $1,332

-84.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,941 MX$72.8K

$28.4K $28.4K

-86.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.60 MX$806

$61.6 $61.6

-29.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.12 MX$797

$51.0 $51.0

-15.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 MX$1,400

$84.9 $84.9

-10.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 MX$1,637

$102 $102

-12.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 MX$18.6K

$1,536 $1,536

-34.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 MX$6,911

$1,112 $1,112

-66.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 MX$31.6K

$2,533 $2,533

-32.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,106 MX$20.4K

$2,031 $2,031

-45.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,944 MX$72.9K

$2,173 $2,173

81.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,169 MX$114.0K

$2,217 $2,217

178.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$754 MX$13.9K

$3,699 $3,699

-79.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.51

75.88%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 10, 2026

Last update for Arlington, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$374 30.9%

Arlington, TX

$1.1K 45.6% 197% $738

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$258 21.4%

Arlington, TX

$393 16.1% 51.9% $134

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.7%

Arlington, TX

$311 12.8% 53.9% $109

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.3%

Arlington, TX

$341 14% 149% $204

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$113 9.3%

Arlington, TX

$135 5.5% 19% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$73 6%

Arlington, TX

$70 2.9% 3.5% $2.5

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$53 4.3%

Arlington, TX

$76 3.1% 45.1% $24

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,008 in Playa del Carmen and $1,536 in Arlington, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arlington, TX pays 390% 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: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $55.0 in Arlington, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $393 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇺🇸 Arlington, TX

🕒 Local time

12:56 12:56 PM

Same time as Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

365,438

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

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Playa del Carmen Arlington, TX 1,670 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
Arlington, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Arlington, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 101% lower than in Arlington, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 390% lower in Arlington, TX. 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: $1,008 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,536 in Arlington, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,210 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,439 in Arlington, TX – a 101% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 46% less than in Arlington, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,210 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,439 in Arlington, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Arlington, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,210 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 101% less than in Arlington, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.