Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Brookings, SD Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Brookings, SD

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,537 in Brookings, SD, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,681 in Brookings, SD, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,826 in Brookings, SD, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 49% cheaper than Brookings, SD, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Brookings, SD is 90% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$204

$17.43 $17.43

-32.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$725

$40.71 $40.71

2.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$181

$11.59 $11.59

-10.18%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$4.55 $4.55

-20.66%

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

$1.46 MX$25.28

$2.43 $2.43

-39.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.99 $1.99

-51.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.8

$5.96 $5.96

-51.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$80.2

$7.19 $7.19

-35.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$0.99 $0.99

44.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.98

$3.60 $3.60

-47.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.18

$5.47 $5.47

-71.30%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.73

$4.03 $4.03

-34.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$146

$11.22 $11.22

-24.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$149

$14.05 $14.05

-38.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$191

$11.93 $11.93

-7.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.91

$6.30 $6.30

-57.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.15

$1.49 $1.49

1.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.22

$7.03 $7.03

-72.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.69

$5.49 $5.49

-60.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.53

$3.18 $3.18

-41.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.76

$3.72 $3.72

-40.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.76

$2.57 $2.57

-57.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$1.84 $1.84

-41.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$72.2

$12.09 $12.09

-65.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$179

$11.83 $11.83

-13.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.20

$2.22 $2.22

-24.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.96

$5.10 $5.10

-50.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.61

$2.05 $2.05

-73.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.5

$4.63 $4.63

-30.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.73

$1.69 $1.69

45.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.5

$24.32 $24.32

-86.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.91

$0.85 $0.85

55.29%

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

$30.2K MX$523.3K

$29.4K $29.4K

2.40%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$26.4K $26.4K

-11.35%

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

$81.4 MX$1,412

$161 $161

-49.40%

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

$22.41 MX$389

$50.8 $50.8

-55.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$520

$67.2 $67.2

-55.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$42.35 $42.35

21.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$89.6

$12.11 $12.11

-57.39%

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

$202 MX$3,501

$1,615 $1,615

-87.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$92.2K

$26.7K $26.7K

-80.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$618

$41.67 $41.67

-14.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$701

$35.62 $35.62

13.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,365

$90.3 $90.3

-12.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,507

$117 $117

-25.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.5K

$1,620 $1,620

-41.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,298

$1,362 $1,362

-64.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$28.1K

$2,675 $2,675

-39.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$2,202 $2,202

-44.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.6K

$2,793 $2,793

43.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$112.3K

$3,077 $3,077

110.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.5

107.64%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Brookings, SD: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,620 in Brookings, SD. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $41.00 in Brookings, SD. Groceries tell a different story – $254 in Playa del Carmen vs $414 in Brookings, SD – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Brookings, SD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brookings, SD costs about 96% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,805 in Brookings, SD. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $41.00 in Brookings, SD. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 63% more in Brookings, SD, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,294, than in Brookings, SD at $2,537. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brookings, SD it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,294 versus $2,537 in Brookings, SD. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Brookings, SD makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.