Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Fredericksburg, VA

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,513 in Fredericksburg, VA, rent and utilities included – about $15,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Fredericksburg, VA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,513
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Fredericksburg, VA

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 Fredericksburg, VA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,513 in Fredericksburg, VA, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Fredericksburg, VA $2,513

A couple spends around $2,102 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,618 in Fredericksburg, VA, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,102
  • Fredericksburg, VA $3,618

A family of three spends $3,000 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,723 in Fredericksburg, VA, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $3,000
  • Fredericksburg, VA $4,723

Playa del Carmen is about 52% cheaper than Fredericksburg, VA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Playa del Carmen sits 11% below the global median, while Fredericksburg, VA is 85% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Fredericksburg, VA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.86 MX$201
$25.98 $25.98
-58.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.21 MX$817
$80.5 $80.5
-45.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.76 MX$217
$11.40 $11.40
3.16%
Cappuccino
$3.68 MX$68.0
$5.55 $5.55
-33.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 MX$24.79
$3.15 $3.15
-57.46%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 MX$15.24
$2.40 $2.40
-65.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.06 MX$56.6
$5.89 $5.89
-48.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.94 MX$91.2
$9.81 $9.81
-49.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Fredericksburg, VA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.47 MX$27.17
$1.34 $1.34
9.70%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$40.95
$3.70 $3.70
-40.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.48 MX$27.32
$1.79 $1.79
-17.32%
Eggs
$2.49 MX$45.99
$3.51 $3.51
-29.06%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.52 MX$139
$8.69 $8.69
-13.46%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.96 MX$147
$9.46 $9.46
-15.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.57 MX$232
$10.89 $10.89
15.43%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.3
$1.32 $1.32
110.61%
Banana (1kg)
$1.43 MX$26.37
$1.21 $1.21
18.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.62 MX$48.37
$5.04 $5.04
-48.02%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.14 MX$39.49
$5.75 $5.75
-62.78%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.38
$2.89 $2.89
-30.10%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 MX$36.74
$3.76 $3.76
-47.07%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.01
$2.70 $2.70
-57.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 MX$22.18
$2.73 $2.73
-56.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 MX$78.7
$8.31 $8.31
-48.74%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.02 MX$185
$11.87 $11.87
-15.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54 MX$28.41
$1.70 $1.70
-9.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 MX$49.17
$1.53 $1.53
73.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Fredericksburg, VA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.53 MX$9.73
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.51 MX$508
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.90 MX$90.6
$3.98 $3.98
23.12%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.43 MX$63.5
$1.54 $1.54
122.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.38 MX$99.4
$24.50 $24.50
-78.04%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 MX$26.76
$0.97 $0.97
49.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$391.0K
$35.3K $35.3K
-40.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.0K MX$425.3K
$25.7K $25.7K
-10.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Fredericksburg, VA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$85.4 MX$1,577
$179 $179
-52.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.46 MX$434
$42.82 $42.82
-45.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.43 MX$525
$77.3 $77.3
-63.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Fredericksburg, VA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$62.2 MX$1,149
$24.71 $24.71
151.68%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.68 MX$530
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.10 MX$94.3
$11.73 $11.73
-56.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Fredericksburg, VA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$201 MX$3,715
$3,186 $3,186
-93.69%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,947 MX$72.9K
$41.3K $41.3K
-90.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Fredericksburg, VA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.39 MX$820
$72.4 $72.4
-38.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.35 MX$764
$43.95 $43.95
-5.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.7 MX$1,344
$85.9 $85.9
-15.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.6 MX$1,656
$123 $123
-27.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Fredericksburg, VA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$979 MX$18.1K
$1,729 $1,729
-43.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$373 MX$6,887
$1,292 $1,292
-71.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,681 MX$31.1K
$3,493 $3,493
-51.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,095 MX$20.2K
$1,991 $1,991
-45.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,949 MX$73.0K
$3,268 $3,268
20.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,137 MX$113.4K
$3,203 $3,203
91.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Fredericksburg, VA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$738 MX$13.6K
$4,631 $4,631
-84.08%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
6.4
78.91%

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 Fredericksburg, VA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$373
Fredericksburg, VA
$1.3K 247% $919
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$258
Fredericksburg, VA
$335 29.8% $77
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Fredericksburg, VA
$380 89.7% $180
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Fredericksburg, VA
$299 118% $161
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Fredericksburg, VA
$147 31.3% $35
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$72
Fredericksburg, VA
$48 33.5% $24
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$52
Fredericksburg, VA
$12 * 77.4% $40

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $979 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,729 in Fredericksburg, VA. 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 528% higher in Fredericksburg, VA, 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 $44.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $80.0 in Fredericksburg, VA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $335 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇺🇸 Fredericksburg, VA
🕒 Local time
11:23 11:23 AM
12:23 12:23 PM
1 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
28,118
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 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 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Fredericksburg, VA 2,170 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Fredericksburg, VA

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 Fredericksburg, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Playa del Carmen and in Fredericksburg, VA compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, $2,513 in Fredericksburg, VA – roughly 109% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Playa del Carmen compared to Fredericksburg, VA?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,769 in Fredericksburg, VA. 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 Fredericksburg, VA?
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.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Playa del Carmen and $80.0 in Fredericksburg, VA. 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 30% more in Fredericksburg, VA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
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 Fredericksburg, VA at $2,513. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fredericksburg, VA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Fredericksburg, VA?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,204 in Playa del Carmen to $2,513 in Fredericksburg, VA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Playa del Carmen and Fredericksburg, VA?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fredericksburg, VA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?