Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Charleston, SC

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,210 a month against $3,314 in Charleston, SC, rent and utilities included – about $25,200 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
160

Cost of Living Index in Charleston, SC
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Charleston, SC Living Index

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Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,210

/mo nomad

Charleston, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$3,314

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Charleston, SC

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 Charleston, SC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,210 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,314 in Charleston, SC, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $1,210
Charleston, SC $3,314

A couple spends around $2,113 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,834 in Charleston, SC, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,113
Charleston, SC $4,834

A family of three spends $3,016 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,355 in Charleston, SC, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $3,016
Charleston, SC $6,355

Playa del Carmen is about 63% cheaper than Charleston, SC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Playa del Carmen sits 10% below the global median, while Charleston, SC is 145% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.76 MX$199

$19.88 $19.88

-45.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.03 MX$795

$131 $131

-67.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.79 MX$218

$11.91 $11.91

-1.01%

Cappuccino

$3.87 MX$71.4

$5.90 $5.90

-34.41%

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

$1.37 MX$25.29

$2.91 $2.91

-52.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 MX$15.44

$2.37 $2.37

-64.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.10 MX$57.3

$6.68 $6.68

-53.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 MX$93.6

$7.88 $7.88

-35.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$26.55

$1.15 $1.15

25.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 MX$41.23

$4.13 $4.13

-46.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 MX$27.17

$4.57 $4.57

-67.83%

Eggs

$2.53 MX$46.71

$5.25 $5.25

-51.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.30 MX$135

$22.51 $22.51

-67.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.86 MX$145

$14.38 $14.38

-45.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.79 MX$236

$20.97 $20.97

-39.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 MX$53.6

$7.97 $7.97

-63.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$26.53

$1.86 $1.86

-22.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 MX$47.07

$4.98 $4.98

-48.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$38.03

$7.09 $7.09

-70.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$36.97

$5.08 $5.08

-60.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$37.07

$3.65 $3.65

-44.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 MX$22.02

$2.85 $2.85

-58.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 MX$23.23

$3.30 $3.30

-61.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 MX$81.4

$9.84 $9.84

-55.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.59 MX$177

$20.33 $20.33

-52.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 MX$29.41

$2.74 $2.74

-41.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 MX$51.9

$3.04 $3.04

-7.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$10.47

$1.99 $1.99

-71.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.82 MX$514

$57.8 $57.8

-51.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 MX$92.1

$3.06 $3.06

62.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.50 MX$64.6

$1.23 $1.23

184.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 MX$99.8

$31.67 $31.67

-82.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MX$27.08

$0.96 $0.96

53.13%

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

$21.0K MX$387.8K

$35.7K $35.7K

-41.26%

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

$23.9K MX$441.8K

$25.8K $25.8K

-7.38%

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

$84.2 MX$1,556

$233 $233

-63.87%

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

$23.99 MX$443

$78.3 $78.3

-69.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.02 MX$536

$85.8 $85.8

-66.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.0 MX$1,164

$45.77 $45.77

37.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.14 MX$539

$19.74 $19.74

47.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 MX$91.3

$14.14 $14.14

-65.06%

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

$204 MX$3,763

$1,274 $1,274

-84.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,941 MX$72.8K

$27.2K $27.2K

-85.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.60 MX$806

$78.9 $78.9

-44.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.12 MX$797

$45.52 $45.52

-5.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 MX$1,400

$114 $114

-33.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 MX$1,637

$136 $136

-35.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 MX$18.6K

$2,353 $2,353

-57.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 MX$6,911

$1,728 $1,728

-78.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 MX$31.6K

$3,610 $3,610

-52.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,106 MX$20.4K

$2,630 $2,630

-57.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,944 MX$72.9K

$5,673 $5,673

-30.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,169 MX$114.0K

$3,048 $3,048

102.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$754 MX$13.9K

$4,858 $4,858

-84.48%

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 Charleston, SC: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$374 30.9%

Charleston, SC

$1.7K 52.2% 362% $1.4K

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$258 21.4%

Charleston, SC

$535 16.1% 107% $276

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.7%

Charleston, SC

$336 10.1% 66% $134

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.3%

Charleston, SC

$397 12% 190% $260

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$113 9.3%

Charleston, SC

$169 5.1% 49.2% $56

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$73 6%

Charleston, SC

$74 2.2% 1.6% $1.2

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$53 4.3%

Charleston, SC

$75 2.3% 42.5% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,008 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,353 in Charleston, SC. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 544% higher in Charleston, SC, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $131 in Charleston, SC. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $535 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇺🇸 Charleston, SC

🕒 Local time

08:31 8:31 AM

09:31 9:31 AM

1 h ahead of Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

150,227

💱 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 18, 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 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

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Playa del Carmen Charleston, SC 1,530 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
Charleston, SC

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 Charleston, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Charleston, SC costs about 174% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,816 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,970 in Charleston, SC. 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.

Kindergarten costs $204 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,274 in Charleston, SC. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 107% more in Charleston, SC, 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 $1,210, than in Charleston, SC at $3,314. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Charleston, SC it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,210 versus $3,314 in Charleston, SC. 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, Charleston, SC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.