Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Merrillville, IN Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Merrillville, IN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,538 in Merrillville, IN.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,712 in Merrillville, IN.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,886 in Merrillville, IN.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 49% less than in Merrillville, IN, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 4% below, Merrillville, IN is 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$18.55 $18.55

-35.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$65.0 $65.0

-34.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$10.08 $10.08

5.06%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$5.08 $5.08

-28.74%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$3.06 $3.06

-51.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$2.15 $2.15

-56.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$4.93 $4.93

-37.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$6.92 $6.92

-35.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.79 $0.79

81.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$3.46 $3.46

-45.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$4.48 $4.48

-63.62%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$4.32 $4.32

-38.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$10.04 $10.04

-18.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$12.50 $12.50

-33.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$15.37 $15.37

-27.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$5.78 $5.78

-54.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.16 $1.16

29.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$4.63 $4.63

-57.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$4.82 $4.82

-56.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$2.10 $2.10

-14.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.12 $2.12

2.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$2.01 $2.01

-46.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$2.71 $2.71

-61.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$10.42 $10.42

-61.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$11.86 $11.86

-14.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.80 $1.80

-3.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.45 $3.45

-27.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$2.04 $2.04

-74.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$2.75 $2.75

14.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$2.21 $2.21

8.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$20.61 $20.61

-85.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.81 $0.81

56.79%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$30.2K $30.2K

2.18%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$26.3K $26.3K

-11.19%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$186 $186

-55.96%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$48.87 $48.87

-54.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$64.8 $64.8

-54.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$42.54 $42.54

21.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$14.60 $14.60

-65.96%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$1,834 $1,834

-89.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$24.3K $24.3K

-78.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$42.67 $42.67

-14.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$45.66 $45.66

-12.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$78.9 $78.9

1.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$105 $105

-15.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$1,590 $1,590

-39.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$1,328 $1,328

-65.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$2,623 $2,623

-39.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$2,220 $2,220

-45.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$3,048 $3,048

29.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$2,541 $2,541

153.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.55

74.35%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Merrillville, IN: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $1,590 in Merrillville, IN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $65.0 in Merrillville, IN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $386 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 Merrillville, IN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Merrillville, IN differ by about 97% in total monthly costs ($1,287 vs $2,538 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $3,807 in Merrillville, IN to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,590 in Merrillville, IN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 54% higher in Merrillville, IN. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,538 in Merrillville, IN – a 97% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,538 in Merrillville, IN, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Merrillville, IN. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 97% less than in Merrillville, IN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.