Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Houston, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Houston, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,262 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,615 in Houston, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,158 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,989 in Houston, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,054 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,363 in Houston, TX.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 52% less than in Houston, TX, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Houston, TX is 94% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.61 MX$201

$19.79 $19.79

-41.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$742

$81.0 $81.0

-47.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 MX$184

$10.09 $10.09

5.05%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.3

$5.54 $5.54

-35.20%

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

$1.45 MX$25.21

$2.73 $2.73

-46.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.58

$2.14 $2.14

-57.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$6.04 $6.04

-49.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 MX$79.2

$6.98 $6.98

-34.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$25.20

$0.94 $0.94

54.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.72

$3.13 $3.13

-41.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.92

$3.60 $3.60

-55.28%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.05

$4.17 $4.17

-39.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 MX$148

$12.71 $12.71

-32.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 MX$147

$11.97 $11.97

-29.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$17.55 $17.55

-38.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.37

$4.22 $4.22

-35.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.91

$1.39 $1.39

7.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 MX$33.73

$4.00 $4.00

-51.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.57

$2.61 $2.61

-17.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.05

$2.79 $2.79

-33.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.00

$2.28 $2.28

-3.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.62

$1.86 $1.86

-42.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.81

$2.25 $2.25

-52.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 MX$70.5

$9.80 $9.80

-58.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 MX$182

$12.43 $12.43

-15.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 MX$28.71

$2.01 $2.01

-17.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 MX$44.23

$3.82 $3.82

-33.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.65

$1.28 $1.28

-56.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.20 MX$455

$73.7 $73.7

-64.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.5

$3.83 $3.83

-18.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 MX$41.17

$1.90 $1.90

24.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.2

$30.52 $30.52

-89.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.81

$0.78 $0.78

67.95%

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

$30.5K MX$530.2K

$32.4K $32.4K

-5.80%

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

$23.8K MX$413.6K

$25.8K $25.8K

-7.64%

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

$83.1 MX$1,443

$197 $197

-57.75%

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

$22.15 MX$385

$62.3 $62.3

-64.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.37 MX$510

$64.8 $64.8

-54.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 MX$889

$38.32 $38.32

33.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 MX$324

$10.96 $10.96

70.53%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MX$84.9

$15.13 $15.13

-67.68%

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

$199 MX$3,449

$1,272 $1,272

-84.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,207 MX$90.4K

$19.3K $19.3K

-73.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$624

$45.67 $45.67

-21.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.39 MX$684

$44.09 $44.09

-10.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 MX$1,394

$98.0 $98.0

-18.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 MX$1,520

$124 $124

-29.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.7K

$1,643 $1,643

-41.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 MX$8,370

$1,269 $1,269

-62.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,645 MX$28.6K

$3,061 $3,061

-46.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 MX$20.7K

$2,413 $2,413

-50.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,957 MX$68.7K

$2,525 $2,525

56.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,513 MX$113.1K

$1,920 $1,920

239.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 MX$12.6K

$4,608 $4,608

-84.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.44

77.33%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Last update for Houston, TX: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $1,643 in Houston, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Houston, TX pays 534% 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: $43 in Playa del Carmen vs $81 in Houston, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $253 vs $371 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 Houston, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 107% lower than in Houston, 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, Houston, TX earns 534% less. 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: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,643 in Houston, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Houston, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $81.0 in Houston, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,262 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,615 in Houston, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Houston, 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 $1,262 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 107% less than in Houston, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.