Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Brea, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Brea, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,617 in Brea, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,130 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,228 in Brea, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,999 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,839 in Brea, CA.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 52% less than in Brea, CA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Brea, CA is 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$20.36 $20.36

-42.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$84.7 $84.7

-50.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$9.98 $9.98

4.21%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$5.13 $5.13

-29.63%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$2.70 $2.70

-45.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$2.03 $2.03

-55.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$7.21 $7.21

-57.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$7.04 $7.04

-36.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$1.08 $1.08

27.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$3.98 $3.98

-53.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$4.67 $4.67

-65.52%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$4.48 $4.48

-42.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$12.32 $12.32

-31.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$11.45 $11.45

-25.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$14.80 $14.80

-25.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$3.48 $3.48

-21.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$1.90 $1.90

-21.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$3.75 $3.75

-47.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$5.51 $5.51

-61.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$3.23 $3.23

-42.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$2.95 $2.95

-26.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$1.94 $1.94

-44.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$2.13 $2.13

-50.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$10.03 $10.03

-58.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$15.03 $15.03

-31.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$1.72 $1.72

-2.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$4.53 $4.53

-45.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$1.99 $1.99

-72.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$4.09 $4.09

-24.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$2.78 $2.78

-11.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$31.42 $31.42

-89.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$1.23 $1.23

2.44%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$24.5K $24.5K

23.13%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$27.0K $27.0K

-13.33%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$198 $198

-57.58%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$46.68 $46.68

-52.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$60.8 $60.8

-51.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$42.53 $42.53

23.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$13.82 $13.82

-64.18%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$1,207 $1,207

-83.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$40.5K $40.5K

-86.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$69.6 $69.6

-48.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$34.40 $34.40

16.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$84.5 $84.5

-6.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$126 $126

-31.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$1,589 $1,589

-38.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$1,358 $1,358

-65.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$2,812 $2,812

-43.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$3,013 $3,013

-59.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$5,968 $5,968

-32.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$5,856 $5,856

12.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$9,867 $9,867

-92.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.58

73.56%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Brea, CA: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $977 in Playa del Carmen and $1,589 in Brea, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brea, CA pays 1282% 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 in Playa del Carmen vs $85 in Brea, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $394 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 Brea, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 108% lower than in Brea, CA. 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, Brea, CA earns 1282% less. 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: $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,589 in Brea, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,207 in Brea, 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 $85.0 in Brea, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,617 in Brea, CA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Brea, CA. 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 $1,261 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Brea, CA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 108% less than in Brea, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.