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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,739 in Los Gatos, CA, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,093 in Los Gatos, CA, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,446 in Los Gatos, CA, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 54% cheaper than Los Gatos, CA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Los Gatos, CA is 106% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$29.76 $29.76

-60.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$109 $109

-61.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$14.20 $14.20

-25.99%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$4.91 $4.91

-26.88%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$3.03 $3.03

-50.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$2.19 $2.19

-57.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$8.75 $8.75

-66.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$7.97 $7.97

-44.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.48 $1.48

-5.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$5.14 $5.14

-63.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$3.18 $3.18

-50.94%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$5.46 $5.46

-52.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$13.13 $13.13

-36.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$14.86 $14.86

-43.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$17.20 $17.20

-36.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$8.00 $8.00

-66.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.25 $2.25

-32.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$4.36 $4.36

-57.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$4.83 $4.83

-54.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.87 $2.87

-35.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$3.37 $3.37

-33.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$2.15 $2.15

-50.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$2.72 $2.72

-59.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$10.72 $10.72

-60.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$12.93 $12.93

-19.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.77 $1.77

-6.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.96 $3.96

-34.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$1.98 $1.98

-72.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$3.54 $3.54

-12.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.91 $1.91

25.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$29.99 $29.99

-89.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.30 $1.30

0.77%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$23.6K $23.6K

26.41%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$26.2K $26.2K

-11.11%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$216 $216

-62.33%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$39.08 $39.08

-42.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$64.2 $64.2

-53.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$43.67 $43.67

21.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$14.22 $14.22

-65.40%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$1,167 $1,167

-82.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$23.9K $23.9K

-78.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$56.1 $56.1

-35.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$39.63 $39.63

1.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$93.8 $93.8

-15.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$78.9 $78.9

9.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$1,609 $1,609

-39.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$1,330 $1,330

-64.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$2,638 $2,638

-37.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$2,199 $2,199

-45.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$3,498 $3,498

13.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.67

71.21%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Los Gatos, CA: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,609 in Los Gatos, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $109 in Los Gatos, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $460 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Gatos, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Los Gatos, CA costs about 117% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,109 in Los Gatos, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $109 in Los Gatos, CA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 83% more in Los Gatos, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Los Gatos, CA at $2,739. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Los Gatos, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,260 versus $2,739 in Los Gatos, CA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Los Gatos, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.