Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Montana Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Montana

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $862 in Montana, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,399 in Montana, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,937 in Montana, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 51% more than Montana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Montana are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Montana 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$9.45 BGN 15.73

26.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$36.89 BGN 61.4

28.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$9.86 BGN 16.40

19.17%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$1.44 BGN 2.40

186.11%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.46 BGN 2.43

-4.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$1.10 BGN 1.84

-17.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.40 BGN 2.32

129.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$1.08 BGN 1.80

554.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.70 BGN 2.82

-1.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.08 BGN 1.80

99.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$2.16 BGN 3.59

-18.06%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.77 BGN 4.60

1.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$9.91 BGN 16.49

-7.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$3.34 BGN 5.56

176.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$12.87 BGN 21.41

-1.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.30 BGN 2.17

126.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.93 BGN 3.21

-18.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.84 BGN 3.05

20.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$2.65 BGN 4.40

-10.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.72 BGN 1.20

176.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.97 BGN 1.61

104.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.95 BGN 1.58

30.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.52 BGN 0.86

132.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$3.83 BGN 6.38

20.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$6.47 BGN 10.77

62.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$0.91 BGN 1.51

85.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$1.22 BGN 2.04

127.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.85 BGN 1.41

-29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$24.69 BGN 41.08

20.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.62 BGN 1.04

745.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.46 BGN 0.77

693.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$10.89 BGN 18.12

-46.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.57 BGN 2.61

-1.91%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$19.9K BGN 33.0K

14.86%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$24.7K BGN 41.1K

4.36%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$105 BGN 174

-13.38%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$19.18 BGN 31.91

31.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$8.86 BGN 14.74

258.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$31.81 BGN 52.9

116.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$17.58 BGN 29.25

67.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$5.61 BGN 9.33

-13.37%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$537 BGN 893

-57.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$5,681 BGN 9,452

-26.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$71.8 BGN 119

-34.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$44.05 BGN 73.3

-1.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$98.8 BGN 164

-18.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$108 BGN 180

-15.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$225 BGN 375

381.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$166 BGN 277

145.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$409 BGN 681

381.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$307 BGN 511

317.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$1,368 BGN 2,276

195.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$1,112 BGN 1,849

503.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$1,026 BGN 1,706

-24.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.1

269.35%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Montana: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $225 in Montana. 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 33% higher in Montana, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $37.00 in Montana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $205 – making Montana 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 Montana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 51%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,293 in Montana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Montana, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 20% less in Montana. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $537 in Montana. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Montana, where all-in costs run around $862, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Montana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Montana – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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