Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Fort Lauderdale, FL

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $3,414 in Fort Lauderdale, FL, rent and utilities included – about $26,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

58

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index
166

Cost of Living Index in Fort Lauderdale, FL
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Fort Lauderdale, FL Living Index

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Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Fort Lauderdale, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,414

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Fort Lauderdale, 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 Fort Lauderdale, FL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,414 in Fort Lauderdale, FL, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $1,204
Fort Lauderdale, FL $3,414

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,025 in Fort Lauderdale, FL, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,082
Fort Lauderdale, FL $5,025

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,636 in Fort Lauderdale, FL, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,959
Fort Lauderdale, FL $6,636

Playa del Carmen is about 65% cheaper than Fort Lauderdale, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Playa del Carmen sits 12% below the global median, while Fort Lauderdale, FL is 151% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.92 MX$204

$29.40 $29.40

-62.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.37 MX$810

$99.7 $99.7

-56.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.78 MX$220

$14.55 $14.55

-19.04%

Cappuccino

$3.81 MX$71.2

$5.10 $5.10

-25.29%

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

$1.28 MX$23.96

$2.99 $2.99

-57.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 MX$14.63

$2.17 $2.17

-64.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.17 MX$59.2

$6.13 $6.13

-48.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MX$92.2

$6.93 $6.93

-28.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MX$26.28

$1.02 $1.02

38.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$41.43

$5.03 $5.03

-55.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MX$26.48

$3.75 $3.75

-62.13%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$47.14

$4.90 $4.90

-48.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 MX$136

$17.22 $17.22

-57.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 MX$144

$10.33 $10.33

-25.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.69 MX$237

$26.42 $26.42

-51.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MX$52.0

$6.47 $6.47

-57.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MX$25.56

$1.95 $1.95

-29.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 MX$47.66

$4.36 $4.36

-41.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$39.67

$5.33 $5.33

-60.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.22

$2.89 $2.89

-32.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 MX$35.24

$3.17 $3.17

-40.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$21.42

$2.66 $2.66

-56.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 MX$22.03

$1.79 $1.79

-34.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MX$80.3

$9.52 $9.52

-54.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.95 MX$186

$11.81 $11.81

-15.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$29.59

$3.00 $3.00

-47.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 MX$49.91

$2.12 $2.12

25.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$10.34

$2.05 $2.05

-73.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.62 MX$497

$71.0 $71.0

-62.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 MX$92.9

$4.01 $4.01

23.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.33 MX$62.2

$1.81 $1.81

83.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 MX$100

$23.92 $23.92

-77.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$26.98

$1.02 $1.02

41.18%

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

$20.7K MX$386.2K

$28.3K $28.3K

-27.03%

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

$23.5K MX$438.5K

$26.6K $26.6K

-11.87%

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

$84.8 MX$1,584

$212 $212

-59.97%

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

$23.41 MX$437

$64.8 $64.8

-63.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.66 MX$535

$80.7 $80.7

-64.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 MX$1,066

$42.90 $42.90

32.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.91 MX$540

$14.34 $14.34

101.60%

Cinema Ticket

$5.14 MX$96.0

$17.92 $17.92

-71.32%

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

$207 MX$3,860

$1,026 $1,026

-79.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,927 MX$73.4K

$41.2K $41.2K

-90.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.35 MX$810

$46.35 $46.35

-6.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.44 MX$774

$41.77 $41.77

-0.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MX$1,386

$87.5 $87.5

-15.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,668

$116 $116

-23.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$980 MX$18.3K

$2,687 $2,687

-63.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 MX$7,116

$1,893 $1,893

-79.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 MX$31.9K

$4,985 $4,985

-65.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 MX$20.1K

$3,168 $3,168

-66.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,943 MX$73.7K

$5,795 $5,795

-31.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,158 MX$115.1K

$4,254 $4,254

44.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$735 MX$13.7K

$4,757 $4,757

-84.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.63

72.70%

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 Fort Lauderdale, FL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6%

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$1.9K 55.5% 397% $1.5K

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2%

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$456 13.4% 78.9% $201

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8%

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$405 11.9% 100% $203

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4%

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$357 10.5% 161% $220

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3%

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$131 3.9% 17.6% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6%

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$79 2.3% 16.9% $11

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2%

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$92 2.7% 82.9% $42

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,687 in Fort Lauderdale, 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 Fort Lauderdale, FL are about 6.5 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 $100 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $456 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇺🇸 Fort Lauderdale, FL

🕒 Local time

11:04 11:04 AM

12:04 12:04 PM

1 h ahead of Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

165,521

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.35 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

1 USD = 0.899 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 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.69 MXN (100 MXN = 5.35 USD). 1 EUR = 20.8 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.899 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Playa del Carmen Fort Lauderdale, FL 930 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
Fort Lauderdale, 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 Fort Lauderdale, FL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fort Lauderdale, FL costs about 183% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,121 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $980 there versus $2,687 in Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Kindergarten costs $207 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,026 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 79% more in Fort Lauderdale, FL, 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 $1,204, than in Fort Lauderdale, FL at $3,414. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fort Lauderdale, FL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fort Lauderdale, FL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.