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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $842 in Montana, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,323 in Montana, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,805 in Montana, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 54% more than Montana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Montana are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Montana 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$10.45 BGN 17.38

12.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$34.87 BGN 58.0

19.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.92 BGN 13.18

34.34%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$1.46 BGN 2.44

141.10%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.38 BGN 2.29

9.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.87 BGN 1.45

11.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.32 BGN 2.20

123.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$1.04 BGN 1.73

327.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.70 BGN 2.83

-18.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.00 BGN 1.66

89.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.81 BGN 3.02

-9.39%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.65 BGN 4.40

-5.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$9.49 BGN 15.79

-12.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$3.25 BGN 5.41

156.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$12.84 BGN 21.36

-16.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.26 BGN 2.10

106.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.62 BGN 4.36

-44.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.99 BGN 3.31

-4.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$2.10 BGN 3.50

-0.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.84 BGN 1.39

111.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.74 BGN 1.23

195.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.36 BGN 2.26

-23.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.51 BGN 0.85

111.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$3.55 BGN 5.91

14.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$5.90 BGN 9.81

74.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$0.91 BGN 1.51

87.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.71 BGN 2.85

50.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.92 BGN 1.53

-44.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$35.97 BGN 59.9

-26.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.67 BGN 1.11

386.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.43 BGN 0.72

479.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$10.60 BGN 17.63

-69.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.51 BGN 2.51

-13.25%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$20.1K BGN 33.5K

50.50%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$24.4K BGN 40.6K

-3.90%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$99.0 BGN 165

-16.32%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$17.04 BGN 28.35

30.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$8.88 BGN 14.78

230.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$20.79 BGN 34.58

148.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$9.07 BGN 15.09

101.98%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$5.68 BGN 9.45

-10.74%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$324 BGN 539

-38.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$5,558 BGN 9,246

-6.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$52.9 BGN 87.9

-30.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$29.33 BGN 48.79

35.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$72.5 BGN 121

8.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$106 BGN 177

-18.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$223 BGN 371

336.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$164 BGN 273

185.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$414 BGN 688

296.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$305 BGN 507

300.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$1,352 BGN 2,249

191.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$1,090 BGN 1,813

496.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,036 BGN 1,723

-35.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.2

256.87%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Montana: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $223 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 56% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $35.00 in Montana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $204 – 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 54%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,263 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 36% less in Montana. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $324 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 $842, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.