Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and College Station, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and College Station, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,064 in College Station, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,113 in College Station, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,161 in College Station, TX.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 39% less than in College Station, TX, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 7% below, College Station, TX is 51% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$14.82 $14.82

-21.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$77.4 $77.4

-39.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$10.35 $10.35

14.78%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$5.35 $5.35

-25.61%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$2.83 $2.83

-49.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$1.78 $1.78

-53.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$5.14 $5.14

-37.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$7.36 $7.36

-7.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$0.79 $0.79

112.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$3.18 $3.18

-30.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$3.88 $3.88

-55.93%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.91 $2.91

-5.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$12.08 $12.08

-20.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$9.43 $9.43

-4.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$13.34 $13.34

-3.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$6.50 $6.50

-55.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.61 $1.61

-6.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$6.38 $6.38

-66.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$4.73 $4.73

-52.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$3.92 $3.92

-49.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$3.02 $3.02

-34.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.82 $1.82

-32.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.80 $1.80

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$8.82 $8.82

-48.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$14.02 $14.02

-26.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.69 $1.69

-4.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$3.75 $3.75

-23.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.98 $0.98

-38.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$19.95 $19.95

44.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$10.01 $10.01

-46.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.89 $1.89

97.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$59.9 $59.9

-90.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.89 $0.89

73.03%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$36.3K $36.3K

-37.81%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$25.1K $25.1K

3.67%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$177 $177

-48.34%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$37.31 $37.31

-32.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$52.1 $52.1

-40.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$25.45 $25.45

164.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$17.36 $17.36

67.68%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$11.60 $11.60

-58.10%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$873 $873

-74.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$18.2K $18.2K

-76.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$56.2 $56.2

-16.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$39.08 $39.08

13.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$82.1 $82.1

-2.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$122 $122

-23.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$1,152 $1,152

-7.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$953 $953

-59.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,839 $1,839

16.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$1,598 $1,598

-20.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$2,132 $2,132

87.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$2,137 $2,137

204.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$4,154 $4,154

-81.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.03

89.88%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for College Station, TX: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $1,152 in College Station, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

College Station, TX pays 448% 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 $77.0 in College Station, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $372 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 College Station, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 63% lower than in College Station, TX. 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 448% lower in College Station, TX. 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: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,152 in College Station, TX. 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 44% less than in College Station, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $224 in Playa del Carmen versus $873 in College Station, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,064 in College Station, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in College Station, TX. 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 $1,266 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 63% less than in College Station, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.