Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Burlington, IA Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Burlington, IA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,790 in Burlington, IA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,742 in Burlington, IA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,695 in Burlington, IA.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 28% less than in Burlington, IA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Burlington, IA is 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$11.54 $11.54

1.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$786

$60.9 $60.9

-23.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$9.18 $9.18

26.91%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.1

$5.46 $5.46

-25.09%

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

$1.37 MX$23.20

$1.95 $1.95

-29.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.07

$1.96 $1.96

-57.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.6

$3.51 $3.51

-4.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$4.58 $4.58

50.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.15

$0.77 $0.77

124.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.15

$2.59 $2.59

-12.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.86

$8.18 $8.18

-78.36%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.12

$3.04 $3.04

-10.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$14.70 $14.70

-37.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$13.23 $13.23

-32.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$15.06 $15.06

-16.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.0

$5.04 $5.04

-40.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.51

$1.67 $1.67

-5.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.88

$4.87 $4.87

-56.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.22

$4.99 $4.99

-54.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.82

$2.99 $2.99

-33.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.85

$3.44 $3.44

-40.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.91

$1.81 $1.81

-34.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.32

$2.47 $2.47

-51.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.2

$9.03 $9.03

-48.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$180

$11.93 $11.93

-10.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.33

$1.69 $1.69

-4.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.63

$4.12 $4.12

-30.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.68

$1.58 $1.58

-63.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$503

$20.47 $20.47

45.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$91.9

$2.96 $2.96

84.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.5

$1.78 $1.78

107.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$29.49 $29.49

-79.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.22

$0.90 $0.90

72.22%

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

$22.3K MX$376.8K

$22.9K $22.9K

-2.51%

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

$25.9K MX$438.0K

$24.0K $24.0K

8.34%

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

$89.1 MX$1,504

$176 $176

-49.41%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$52.4 $52.4

-52.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$50.3 $50.3

-37.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,144

$41.39 $41.39

63.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.2

$12.12 $12.12

-58.33%

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

$225 MX$3,797

$716 $716

-68.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.3K

$23.7K $23.7K

-82.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$801

$43.73 $43.73

8.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$759

$30.81 $30.81

45.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,384

$87.2 $87.2

-5.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,555

$37.35 $37.35

146.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.0K

$766 $766

39.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,842

$709 $709

-42.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$1,197 $1,197

61.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$1,264 $1,264

2.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.4K

$1,023 $1,023

290.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$111.8K

$1,049 $1,049

531.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

$4,289 $4,289

-82.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.16

85.88%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Burlington, IA: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $766 in Burlington, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Burlington, IA pays 473% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $61.0 in Burlington, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $407 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 Burlington, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 38% lower than in Burlington, IA. 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 473% lower in Burlington, IA. 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: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $766 in Burlington, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $225 in Playa del Carmen versus $716 in Burlington, IA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Burlington, IA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,790 in Burlington, IA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Burlington, IA. 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 $1,293 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 Burlington, IA 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 38% less than in Burlington, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.