Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Clarksville, TN

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,503 in Clarksville, TN, rent and utilities included – about $15,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Clarksville, TN
🇺🇸 United States
$2,503
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Clarksville, TN

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 Clarksville, TN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,503 in Clarksville, TN.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Clarksville, TN $2,503

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,102 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,502 in Clarksville, TN.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,102
  • Clarksville, TN $3,502

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,000 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,501 in Clarksville, TN.

  • Playa del Carmen $3,000
  • Clarksville, TN $4,501

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 52% less than in Clarksville, TN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 11% below, Clarksville, TN is 85% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Clarksville, TN
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.86 MX$201
$20.16 $20.16
-46.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.21 MX$817
$83.5 $83.5
-47.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.76 MX$217
$11.05 $11.05
6.43%
Cappuccino
$3.68 MX$68.0
$5.27 $5.27
-30.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 MX$24.79
$2.40 $2.40
-44.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 MX$15.24
$1.81 $1.81
-54.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.06 MX$56.6
$4.98 $4.98
-38.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.94 MX$91.2
$7.30 $7.30
-32.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Clarksville, TN
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.47 MX$27.17
$1.02 $1.02
44.12%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$40.95
$2.62 $2.62
-15.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.48 MX$27.32
$3.88 $3.88
-61.86%
Eggs
$2.49 MX$45.99
$3.29 $3.29
-24.32%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.52 MX$139
$14.14 $14.14
-46.82%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.96 MX$147
$14.60 $14.60
-45.48%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.57 MX$232
$13.17 $13.17
-4.56%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.3
$6.45 $6.45
-56.90%
Banana (1kg)
$1.43 MX$26.37
$1.60 $1.60
-10.63%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.62 MX$48.37
$4.36 $4.36
-39.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.14 MX$39.49
$4.08 $4.08
-47.55%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.38
$2.12 $2.12
-4.72%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 MX$36.74
$3.79 $3.79
-47.49%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.01
$2.71 $2.71
-57.93%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 MX$22.18
$2.83 $2.83
-57.60%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 MX$78.7
$9.13 $9.13
-53.34%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.02 MX$185
$12.13 $12.13
-17.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54 MX$28.41
$1.74 $1.74
-11.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 MX$49.17
$3.36 $3.36
-20.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Clarksville, TN
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.53 MX$9.73
$1.51 $1.51
-64.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.51 MX$508
$49.44 $49.44
-44.36%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.90 MX$90.6
$5.12 $5.12
-4.30%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.43 MX$63.5
$1.95 $1.95
75.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.38 MX$99.4
$30.09 $30.09
-82.12%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 MX$26.76
$1.02 $1.02
42.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$391.0K
$27.6K $27.6K
-23.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.0K MX$425.3K
$26.7K $26.7K
-13.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Clarksville, TN
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$85.4 MX$1,577
$158 $158
-46.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.46 MX$434
$83.2 $83.2
-71.80%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.43 MX$525
$75.5 $75.5
-62.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Clarksville, TN
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$62.2 MX$1,149
$30.39 $30.39
104.64%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.68 MX$530
$4.02 $4.02
613.43%
Cinema Ticket
$5.10 MX$94.3
$13.82 $13.82
-63.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Clarksville, TN
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$201 MX$3,715
$830 $830
-75.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,947 MX$72.9K
$24.5K $24.5K
-83.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Clarksville, TN
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.39 MX$820
$42.12 $42.12
5.39%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.35 MX$764
$37.70 $37.70
9.68%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.7 MX$1,344
$96.7 $96.7
-24.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.6 MX$1,656
$118 $118
-24.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Clarksville, TN
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$979 MX$18.1K
$1,242 $1,242
-21.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$373 MX$6,887
$1,213 $1,213
-69.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,681 MX$31.1K
$2,144 $2,144
-21.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,095 MX$20.2K
$1,571 $1,571
-30.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,949 MX$73.0K
$2,233 $2,233
76.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,137 MX$113.4K
$1,898 $1,898
223.27%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Clarksville, TN
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$738 MX$13.6K
$3,843 $3,843
-80.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
6.62
72.96%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Last update for Clarksville, TN: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$373
Clarksville, TN
$1.2K 226% $840
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$258
Clarksville, TN
$398 54% $140
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Clarksville, TN
$314 56.9% $114
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Clarksville, TN
$317 131% $180
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Clarksville, TN
$133 18.7% $21
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$72
Clarksville, TN
$58 19.8% $14
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$52
Clarksville, TN
$70 36.1% $19

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $979 in Playa del Carmen and $1,242 in Clarksville, TN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Clarksville, TN pays 421% 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: $44.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $84.0 in Clarksville, TN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $398 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇺🇸 Clarksville, TN
🕒 Local time
17:10 5:10 PM
17:10 5:10 PM
Same time as Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
180,716
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 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 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Clarksville, TN 1,770 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Clarksville, TN

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 Clarksville, TN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Playa del Carmen and in Clarksville, TN?
Playa del Carmen and Clarksville, TN differ by about 108% in total monthly costs ($1,204 vs $2,503 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 421% lower in Clarksville, TN. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Playa del Carmen and in Clarksville, TN?
Rent for a central apartment: $979 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,242 in Clarksville, TN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 54% higher in Clarksville, TN. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $84.0 in Clarksville, TN. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,503 in Clarksville, TN, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Clarksville, TN. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Clarksville, TN?
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.
Is Playa del Carmen or Clarksville, TN safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Clarksville, TN are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Playa del Carmen or Clarksville, TN?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 108% less than in Clarksville, TN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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