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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,646 in Los Angeles, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,418 in Los Angeles, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Playa del Carmen versus $7,190 in Los Angeles, CA.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 65% less than in Los Angeles, CA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Los Angeles, CA is 174% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$204

$24.93 $24.93

-52.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$725

$101 $101

-58.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$181

$14.02 $14.02

-25.75%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$5.82 $5.82

-37.97%

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

$1.46 MX$25.28

$2.86 $2.86

-48.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$2.22 $2.22

-56.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.8

$8.41 $8.41

-65.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$80.2

$9.94 $9.94

-53.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.18 $1.18

21.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.98

$4.35 $4.35

-56.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.18

$5.69 $5.69

-72.41%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.73

$7.40 $7.40

-64.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$146

$12.83 $12.83

-34.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$149

$16.94 $16.94

-49.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$191

$19.49 $19.49

-43.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.91

$6.13 $6.13

-55.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.15

$2.59 $2.59

-41.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.22

$4.31 $4.31

-55.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.69

$4.86 $4.86

-55.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.53

$3.07 $3.07

-39.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.76

$2.43 $2.43

-8.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.76

$1.85 $1.85

-41.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$2.13 $2.13

-49.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$72.2

$11.71 $11.71

-64.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$179

$15.10 $15.10

-31.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.20

$2.61 $2.61

-35.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.96

$3.15 $3.15

-19.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.61

$1.73 $1.73

-68.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$456

$84.1 $84.1

-68.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.5

$3.11 $3.11

2.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.73

$1.71 $1.71

43.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.5

$28.65 $28.65

-88.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.91

$1.25 $1.25

5.60%

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

$30.2K MX$523.3K

$31.2K $31.2K

-3.30%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$26.8K $26.8K

-12.65%

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

$81.4 MX$1,412

$185 $185

-56.08%

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

$22.41 MX$389

$66.2 $66.2

-66.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$520

$69.6 $69.6

-56.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$48.33 $48.33

6.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

$12.39 $12.39

48.43%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$89.6

$17.67 $17.67

-70.80%

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

$202 MX$3,501

$1,790 $1,790

-88.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$92.2K

$23.5K $23.5K

-77.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$618

$62.3 $62.3

-42.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$701

$45.91 $45.91

-12.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,365

$100.0 $100.0

-21.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,507

$149 $149

-41.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.5K

$2,633 $2,633

-63.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,298

$2,065 $2,065

-76.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$28.1K

$4,428 $4,428

-63.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$3,739 $3,739

-67.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.6K

$8,048 $8,048

-50.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$112.3K

$7,059 $7,059

-8.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.7K

$4,508 $4,508

-85.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.49

75.96%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Los Angeles, CA: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $950 in Playa del Carmen and $2,633 in Los Angeles, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Los Angeles, CA pays 570% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $101 in Los Angeles, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $474 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 Los Angeles, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 182% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 570% 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: $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,633 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 220% less than in Los Angeles, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $202 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,790 in Los Angeles, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,646 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 182% less than in Los Angeles, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.