Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Mountain Home, ID Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Mountain Home, ID

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,555 in Mountain Home, ID.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,177 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,747 in Mountain Home, ID.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,095 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,939 in Mountain Home, ID.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 51% less than in Mountain Home, ID, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Mountain Home, ID is 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 MX$208

$18.96 $18.96

-36.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 MX$730

$73.6 $73.6

-43.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 MX$181

$11.06 $11.06

-5.79%

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.2

$5.14 $5.14

-31.71%

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

$1.52 MX$26.39

$2.47 $2.47

-38.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.84

$2.02 $2.02

-54.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$52.9

$6.06 $6.06

-49.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.1

$7.05 $7.05

-38.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.73

$1.04 $1.04

36.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.87

$3.46 $3.46

-47.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.45

$4.42 $4.42

-63.12%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.20

$4.11 $4.11

-38.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MX$149

$12.11 $12.11

-29.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$148

$11.55 $11.55

-26.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 MX$188

$15.48 $15.48

-30.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$47.94

$4.85 $4.85

-43.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.00

$1.64 $1.64

-12.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.83

$4.14 $4.14

-54.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.77

$4.65 $4.65

-53.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.97

$2.92 $2.92

-39.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.71

$2.87 $2.87

-22.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.60

$2.04 $2.04

-47.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.79

$2.21 $2.21

-51.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.2

$9.71 $9.71

-57.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$182

$14.82 $14.82

-29.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.34

$1.83 $1.83

-4.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.92

$3.28 $3.28

-21.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.94

$2.05 $2.05

-75.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$451

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 MX$55.9

$3.45 $3.45

-6.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.55

$1.67 $1.67

49.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.4

$28.92 $28.92

-88.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.87

$0.90 $0.90

40.00%

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

$29.7K MX$516.6K

$29.6K $29.6K

0.34%

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

$23.7K MX$412.1K

$25.8K $25.8K

-8.25%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$184 $184

-55.50%

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

$22.73 MX$395

$52.0 $52.0

-56.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 MX$512

$68.1 $68.1

-56.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$908

$42.45 $42.45

22.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$85.9

$13.57 $13.57

-63.67%

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

$202 MX$3,511

$1,287 $1,287

-84.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$90.8K

$23.3K $23.3K

-77.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$625

$51.6 $51.6

-30.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$39.78 $39.78

1.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$85.7 $85.7

-6.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,554

$114 $114

-21.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.5K

$1,632 $1,632

-41.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,097

$1,379 $1,379

-66.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.4K

$2,600 $2,600

-37.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.8K

$2,210 $2,210

-46.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.4K

$2,336 $2,336

68.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$111.9K

$2,350 $2,350

173.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.51

75.42%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Last update for Mountain Home, ID: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $948 in Playa del Carmen and $1,632 in Mountain Home, ID. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $74.0 in Mountain Home, ID for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $388 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 Mountain Home, ID: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 103% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,888 in Playa del Carmen and $3,833 in Mountain Home, ID 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: $948 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,632 in Mountain Home, ID. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

All in, you'll spend $1,259 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,555 in Mountain Home, ID – a 103% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,555 in Mountain Home, ID, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Mountain Home, ID. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mountain Home, ID, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 103% less than in Mountain Home, ID. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.