Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Monroe, LA Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Monroe, LA

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,784 in Monroe, LA, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,883 in Monroe, LA, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,983 in Monroe, LA, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 30% cheaper than Monroe, LA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Monroe, LA is 34% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$15.12 $15.12

-20.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$39.52 $39.52

5.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$10.09 $10.09

6.54%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$3.05 $3.05

14.75%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$2.01 $2.01

-27.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.23 $1.23

-28.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$5.09 $5.09

-42.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$6.39 $6.39

-29.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.26 $1.26

13.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$2.77 $2.77

-33.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$2.37 $2.37

-33.76%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$3.02 $3.02

-16.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$8.67 $8.67

-4.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$7.68 $7.68

9.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$14.94 $14.94

-28.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$5.32 $5.32

-50.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.06 $2.06

-30.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$5.37 $5.37

-63.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$3.84 $3.84

-45.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.98 $2.98

-37.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.73 $2.73

-20.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.54 $1.54

-33.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.79 $1.79

-40.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$7.88 $7.88

-47.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$12.14 $12.14

-16.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.91 $1.91

-12.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.76 $2.76

-8.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$2.05 $2.05

-75.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$3.93 $3.93

-17.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.22 $1.22

97.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$59.2 $59.2

-94.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.75 $0.75

76.00%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$37.3K $37.3K

-20.32%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$25.3K $25.3K

-6.63%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$141 $141

-41.72%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$44.90 $44.90

-48.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$63.7 $63.7

-52.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$46.06 $46.06

12.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$12.08 $12.08

-58.77%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$805 $805

-75.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$9,986 $9,986

-46.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$35.29 $35.29

0.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$42.14 $42.14

-4.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$62.8 $62.8

25.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$78.2 $78.2

13.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$1,031 $1,031

-8.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$767 $767

-38.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$2,596 $2,596

-36.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$1,899 $1,899

-36.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,977 $1,977

105.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,780 $1,780

263.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$3,724 $3,724

-82.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.61

72.77%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Monroe, LA: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,031 in Monroe, LA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 470% higher in Monroe, LA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $40.00 in Monroe, LA. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $332 in Monroe, LA – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Monroe, LA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monroe, LA costs about 42% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,675 in Monroe, LA. 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 $40.00 in Monroe, LA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% more in Monroe, LA, 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 $1,256, than in Monroe, LA at $1,784. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Monroe, LA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,256 versus $1,784 in Monroe, LA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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