Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Los Angeles, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,215 a month against $4,259 in Los Angeles, CA, rent and utilities included – about $36,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

60

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index
203

Cost of Living Index in Los Angeles, CA
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Los Angeles, CA Living Index

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Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,215

/mo nomad

Los Angeles, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,259

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Los Angeles, CA

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 Los Angeles, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,215 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,259 in Los Angeles, CA.

Playa del Carmen $1,215
Los Angeles, CA $4,259

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,144 in Playa del Carmen versus $6,260 in Los Angeles, CA.

Playa del Carmen $2,144
Los Angeles, CA $6,260

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,072 in Playa del Carmen versus $8,260 in Los Angeles, CA.

Playa del Carmen $3,072
Los Angeles, CA $8,260

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 71% less than in Los Angeles, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 9% below, Los Angeles, CA is 218% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.97 MX$201

$27.00 $27.00

-59.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.85 MX$823

$122 $122

-63.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.92 MX$219

$14.98 $14.98

-20.43%

Cappuccino

$3.80 MX$69.9

$5.84 $5.84

-34.93%

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

$1.31 MX$24.08

$3.77 $3.77

-65.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 MX$15.72

$2.67 $2.67

-67.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$59.0

$8.05 $8.05

-60.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 MX$92.0

$9.84 $9.84

-49.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 MX$26.77

$1.30 $1.30

12.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 MX$42.72

$4.84 $4.84

-51.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MX$26.48

$4.48 $4.48

-67.86%

Eggs

$2.46 MX$45.20

$6.14 $6.14

-59.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 MX$141

$11.32 $11.32

-31.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.89 MX$145

$15.78 $15.78

-50.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.80 MX$235

$19.94 $19.94

-35.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MX$53.6

$5.24 $5.24

-44.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MX$26.11

$2.33 $2.33

-39.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MX$47.10

$4.69 $4.69

-45.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MX$39.24

$5.65 $5.65

-62.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 MX$35.75

$3.28 $3.28

-40.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 MX$35.55

$2.88 $2.88

-32.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$21.13

$2.10 $2.10

-45.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MX$22.42

$2.44 $2.44

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 MX$80.3

$12.78 $12.78

-65.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.85 MX$181

$15.05 $15.05

-34.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$28.23

$2.96 $2.96

-47.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 MX$49.86

$2.81 $2.81

-3.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.64

$1.79 $1.79

-70.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.42 MX$503

$104 $104

-73.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 MX$90.2

$3.08 $3.08

59.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.52 MX$64.7

$1.88 $1.88

87.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 MX$104

$31.58 $31.58

-81.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$28.27

$1.62 $1.62

-4.94%

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

$21.2K MX$389.9K

$37.7K $37.7K

-43.61%

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

$24.5K MX$449.6K

$26.3K $26.3K

-7.01%

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

$83.6 MX$1,535

$288 $288

-70.96%

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

$24.03 MX$441

$77.9 $77.9

-69.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.33 MX$539

$80.5 $80.5

-63.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.9 MX$1,191

$74.2 $74.2

-12.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.46 MX$541

$11.90 $11.90

147.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.09 MX$93.4

$19.79 $19.79

-74.28%

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

$208 MX$3,813

$1,678 $1,678

-87.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,045 MX$74.3K

$31.9K $31.9K

-87.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.55 MX$818

$91.3 $91.3

-51.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 MX$772

$65.7 $65.7

-35.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 MX$1,387

$121 $121

-37.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,678

$206 $206

-55.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 MX$18.1K

$2,545 $2,545

-61.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 MX$7,072

$2,443 $2,443

-84.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,713 MX$31.5K

$5,518 $5,518

-68.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,108 MX$20.4K

$4,275 $4,275

-74.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,016 MX$73.7K

$7,211 $7,211

-44.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,247 MX$114.7K

$6,930 $6,930

-9.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.9K

$4,173 $4,173

-81.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.86

66.91%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026

Last update for Los Angeles, CA: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$385 31.4%

Los Angeles, CA

$2.4K 57.8% 534% $2.1K

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$260 21.2%

Los Angeles, CA

$467 11.1% 79.5% $207

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$204 16.6%

Los Angeles, CA

$417 9.9% 104% $213

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.2%

Los Angeles, CA

$446 10.6% 226% $309

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$114 9.3%

Los Angeles, CA

$218 5.2% 90.9% $104

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$75 6.1%

Los Angeles, CA

$114 2.7% 51.6% $39

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$52 4.2%

Los Angeles, CA

$124 2.9% 138% $72

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Playa del Carmen and $2,545 in Los Angeles, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Los Angeles, CA pays 450% 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: $45.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $122 in Los Angeles, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $260 vs $467 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇺🇸 Los Angeles, CA

🕒 Local time

06:44 6:44 AM

04:44 4:44 AM

2 h behind Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

4,030,904

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.45 USD

100 MXN = 4.86 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 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 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.57 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

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Playa del Carmen Los Angeles, CA 3,400 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
Los Angeles, CA

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 Los Angeles, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 250% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 450% lower in Los Angeles, 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: $986 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,545 in Los Angeles, 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 279% less than in Los Angeles, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $208 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,678 in Los Angeles, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,215 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,259 in Los Angeles, CA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Los Angeles, 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 Los Angeles, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 250% less than in Los Angeles, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.