Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Cartersville, GA Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Cartersville, GA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,639 in Cartersville, GA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,796 in Cartersville, GA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,953 in Cartersville, GA.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 51% less than in Cartersville, GA, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Cartersville, GA is 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$16.88 $16.88

-30.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$72.5 $72.5

-35.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$10.97 $10.97

6.20%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$5.04 $5.04

-18.85%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$2.33 $2.33

-41.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$1.92 $1.92

-56.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$4.65 $4.65

-27.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$6.96 $6.96

-0.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$0.83 $0.83

108.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$2.95 $2.95

-23.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$2.61 $2.61

-32.18%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$2.91 $2.91

-6.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$9.30 $9.30

-1.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$9.47 $9.47

-5.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$14.91 $14.91

-15.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$3.77 $3.77

-19.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$1.40 $1.40

12.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$3.78 $3.78

-43.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$3.05 $3.05

-25.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$2.54 $2.54

-21.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$2.26 $2.26

-8.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$1.94 $1.94

-39.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$1.84 $1.84

-34.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$8.27 $8.27

-44.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$14.09 $14.09

-24.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$1.69 $1.69

-4.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$3.26 $3.26

-11.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$5.02 $5.02

-88.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$39.27 $39.27

-24.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$4.26 $4.26

27.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$1.89 $1.89

95.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$32.25 $32.25

-81.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$0.93 $0.93

66.67%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$35.1K $35.1K

-36.36%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$23.1K $23.1K

12.29%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$168 $168

-46.96%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$65.7 $65.7

-61.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$71.9 $71.9

-56.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$12.04 $12.04

-58.06%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$1,550 $1,550

-85.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$8,292 $8,292

-49.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$32.95 $32.95

43.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$34.87 $34.87

28.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$68.8 $68.8

19.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$79.9 $79.9

15.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$2,123 $2,123

-49.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$1,530 $1,530

-73.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$3,034 $3,034

-36.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$2,457 $2,457

-47.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.23

83.79%

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 Cartersville, GA: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $2,123 in Cartersville, GA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $72.0 in Cartersville, GA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $323 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 Cartersville, GA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Cartersville, GA differ by about 104% in total monthly costs ($1,293 vs $2,639 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,940 in Playa del Carmen and $3,959 in Cartersville, GA to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,123 in Cartersville, GA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 32% less than in Cartersville, GA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $225 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,550 in Cartersville, GA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,639 in Cartersville, GA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Cartersville, GA. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 104% less than in Cartersville, GA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.