Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Glendale, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Glendale, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,222 in Glendale, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,634 in Glendale, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $7,046 in Glendale, CA.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 70% less than in Glendale, CA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 7% below, Glendale, CA is 209% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$25.46 $25.46

-54.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$807

$97.6 $97.6

-51.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$13.45 $13.45

-11.67%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.1

$5.82 $5.82

-31.62%

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

$1.43 MX$24.45

$3.02 $3.02

-52.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.13

$2.71 $2.71

-69.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.6

$8.06 $8.06

-60.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$116

$10.04 $10.04

-32.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.71

$1.31 $1.31

28.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.64

$4.90 $4.90

-55.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.27

$4.87 $4.87

-64.89%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$46.96

$5.76 $5.76

-52.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$11.97 $11.97

-19.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$154

$13.26 $13.26

-32.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$219

$19.46 $19.46

-34.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.49

$4.77 $4.77

-39.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.65

$1.90 $1.90

-21.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.80

$4.55 $4.55

-52.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.71

$5.20 $5.20

-56.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.93

$3.25 $3.25

-39.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.09

$2.62 $2.62

-24.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.15

$2.00 $2.00

-38.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.50

$2.14 $2.14

-43.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.0

$11.78 $11.78

-61.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$15.25 $15.25

-32.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.74

$2.12 $2.12

-23.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.35

$2.71 $2.71

6.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.29

$1.77 $1.77

-66.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$493

$89.6 $89.6

-67.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.3

$3.07 $3.07

75.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$63.9

$1.89 $1.89

97.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$98.9

$28.08 $28.08

-79.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.32

$1.54 $1.54

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

$22.5K MX$386.3K

$37.6K $37.6K

-40.07%

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

$26.1K MX$446.5K

$26.3K $26.3K

-0.86%

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

$91.4 MX$1,566

$255 $255

-64.11%

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

$25.20 MX$432

$74.0 $74.0

-65.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$535

$81.2 $81.2

-61.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,151

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$499

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.3

$19.15 $19.15

-74.62%

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

$224 MX$3,832

$1,713 $1,713

-86.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.5K

$31.7K $31.7K

-86.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$807

$68.6 $68.6

-31.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$759

$57.9 $57.9

-23.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,373

$117 $117

-31.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,588

$195 $195

-52.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$3,300 $3,300

-67.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,686

$2,594 $2,594

-84.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.8K

$4,887 $4,887

-56.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$3,388 $3,388

-62.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$5,036 $5,036

-84.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.5

76.15%

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 Glendale, CA: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $3,300 in Glendale, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Glendale, CA pays 564% 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 $98.0 in Glendale, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $440 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 Glendale, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 234% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 564% lower in Glendale, CA. 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 $3,300 in Glendale, CA. 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 211% less than in Glendale, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $224 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,713 in Glendale, CA. 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 $4,222 in Glendale, CA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Glendale, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Glendale, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Glendale, CA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 234% less than in Glendale, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.