Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Newton, MA Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Newton, MA

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,368 in Newton, MA, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,308 in Newton, MA, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,247 in Newton, MA, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 63% cheaper than Newton, MA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Newton, MA is 152% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$25.06 $25.06

-52.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$99.7 $99.7

-58.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$11.13 $11.13

-3.41%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$5.66 $5.66

-38.16%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$2.81 $2.81

-48.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$2.29 $2.29

-61.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$6.59 $6.59

-55.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$8.21 $8.21

-45.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.24 $1.24

15.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$4.24 $4.24

-56.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$6.34 $6.34

-75.24%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$4.63 $4.63

-45.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$19.50 $19.50

-57.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$13.24 $13.24

-36.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$14.25 $14.25

-25.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$5.82 $5.82

-55.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.87 $1.87

-22.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$5.99 $5.99

-67.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$6.05 $6.05

-65.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$3.23 $3.23

-42.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$3.64 $3.64

-40.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$2.54 $2.54

-59.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$2.12 $2.12

-49.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$13.41 $13.41

-69.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$15.76 $15.76

-35.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.75 $1.75

-4.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.54 $2.54

-0.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$2.36 $2.36

-78.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$88.9 $88.9

-70.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$2.66 $2.66

21.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.73 $1.73

39.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$27.54 $27.54

-88.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.94 $0.94

40.43%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$28.6K $28.6K

3.79%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$25.1K $25.1K

-5.61%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$186 $186

-55.81%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$58.3 $58.3

-60.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$68.7 $68.7

-56.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$64.8 $64.8

-19.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$13.02 $13.02

-61.75%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$1,256 $1,256

-84.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$27.0K $27.0K

-80.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$66.6 $66.6

-46.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$37.93 $37.93

6.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$92.6 $92.6

-14.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$146 $146

-39.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$1,846 $1,846

-48.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$1,826 $1,826

-74.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$3,684 $3,684

-55.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$3,723 $3,723

-67.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$6,074 $6,074

-33.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$5,307 $5,307

21.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$7,676 $7,676

-91.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.38

79.00%

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 Newton, MA: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,846 in Newton, MA. 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 1074% higher in Newton, MA, 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 $100 in Newton, MA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $459 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Newton, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, $3,368 in Newton, MA – roughly 168% apart. Newton, MA costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,052 in Newton, MA. 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.

Public transport costs about 241% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,256 in Newton, MA. 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 Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Newton, MA at $3,368. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Newton, MA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,256 in Playa del Carmen to $3,368 in Newton, MA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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