Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Delray Beach, FL

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $3,584 in Delray Beach, FL, rent and utilities included – about $28,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Delray Beach, FL, United States
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Delray Beach, FL
🇺🇸 United States
$3,584
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Delray Beach, FL

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 Delray Beach, FL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,584 in Delray Beach, FL, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Delray Beach, FL $3,584

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,795 in Delray Beach, FL, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Delray Beach, FL $5,795

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $8,007 in Delray Beach, FL, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Delray Beach, FL $8,007

Playa del Carmen is about 66% cheaper than Delray Beach, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Playa del Carmen sits 12% below the global median, while Delray Beach, FL is 163% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Delray Beach, FL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$205
$30.11 $30.11
-63.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$815
$118 $118
-63.14%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$221
$14.88 $14.88
-20.83%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.6
$5.77 $5.77
-33.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$24.10
$3.05 $3.05
-58.03%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.71
$2.05 $2.05
-61.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.5
$7.82 $7.82
-59.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.7
$9.90 $9.90
-50.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Delray Beach, FL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.43
$1.40 $1.40
0.71%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.66
$4.44 $4.44
-50.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.64
$3.33 $3.33
-57.36%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.41
$4.98 $4.98
-49.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$137
$13.07 $13.07
-44.45%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$145
$12.21 $12.21
-36.94%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$239
$18.86 $18.86
-32.71%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$52.3
$5.08 $5.08
-45.28%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.71
$1.78 $1.78
-23.03%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.94
$3.09 $3.09
-17.48%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.90
$4.29 $4.29
-50.58%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.43
$3.15 $3.15
-38.41%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.44
$3.33 $3.33
-43.24%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.55
$2.84 $2.84
-59.51%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$22.16
$2.22 $2.22
-46.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.7
$9.13 $9.13
-52.90%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$187
$15.25 $15.25
-34.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.76
$1.96 $1.96
-19.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$50.2
$3.02 $3.02
-11.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Delray Beach, FL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.40
$2.04 $2.04
-73.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$500
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$93.4
$2.88 $2.88
72.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.6
$2.03 $2.03
64.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$101
$24.44 $24.44
-78.07%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$27.14
$1.03 $1.03
39.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$388.4K
$35.6K $35.6K
-41.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$441.0K
$26.9K $26.9K
-12.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Delray Beach, FL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,594
$182 $182
-53.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$440
$66.2 $66.2
-64.63%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$539
$73.8 $73.8
-61.16%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Delray Beach, FL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,072
$51.5 $51.5
10.82%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$543
$19.06 $19.06
51.68%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$96.6
$19.63 $19.63
-73.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Delray Beach, FL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,882
$1,483 $1,483
-86.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.8K
$35.7K $35.7K
-88.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Delray Beach, FL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$815
$50.8 $50.8
-14.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$779
$58.1 $58.1
-28.67%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,394
$107 $107
-30.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,677
$127 $127
-29.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Delray Beach, FL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.4K
$2,113 $2,113
-53.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,157
$2,143 $2,143
-82.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$32.1K
$5,561 $5,561
-69.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.2K
$4,589 $4,589
-76.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$74.1K
$4,094 $4,094
-3.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$115.7K
$3,360 $3,360
83.27%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Delray Beach, FL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.8K
$3,983 $3,983
-81.56%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
6.56
74.54%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Delray Beach, FL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Delray Beach, FL
$2.1K 463% $1.8K
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Delray Beach, FL
$419 64.4% $164
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Delray Beach, FL
$434 115% $232
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Delray Beach, FL
$322 135% $185
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Delray Beach, FL
$154 37.9% $42
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Delray Beach, FL
$91 34.8% $23
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Delray Beach, FL
$21 * 58% $29

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,113 in Delray Beach, FL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Delray Beach, FL are about 5.4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $118 in Delray Beach, FL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $419 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇺🇸 Delray Beach, FL
🕒 Local time
04:51 4:51 AM
04:51 4:51 AM
Same time as Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
60,522
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.79 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 20.97 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Delray Beach, FL 960 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Delray Beach, FL

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 Delray Beach, FL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Playa del Carmen and in Delray Beach, FL compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, $3,584 in Delray Beach, FL – Playa del Carmen comes out roughly 66% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Playa del Carmen compared to Delray Beach, FL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,376 in Delray Beach, FL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Playa del Carmen and Delray Beach, FL?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $980 there versus $2,113 in Delray Beach, FL.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen and $118 in Delray Beach, FL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 64% more in Delray Beach, FL, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Delray Beach, FL at $3,584. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Delray Beach, FL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Playa del Carmen or Delray Beach, FL?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Playa del Carmen and Delray Beach, FL?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Delray Beach, FL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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