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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,634 in Pittsfield, MA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,609 in Pittsfield, MA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $6,584 in Pittsfield, MA.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 50% less than in Pittsfield, MA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Pittsfield, MA is 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$18.13 $18.13

-34.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$96.2 $96.2

-50.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$13.57 $13.57

-13.41%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$4.87 $4.87

-15.40%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$2.88 $2.88

-51.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$2.67 $2.67

-65.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$5.10 $5.10

-37.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$7.87 $7.87

-10.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.07 $1.07

57.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$3.92 $3.92

-45.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$5.44 $5.44

-67.46%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$4.69 $4.69

-39.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$11.16 $11.16

-17.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$14.20 $14.20

-35.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$17.47 $17.47

-27.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$6.81 $6.81

-56.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.72 $1.72

-8.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$6.81 $6.81

-67.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$5.64 $5.64

-58.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$6.56 $6.56

-69.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$4.38 $4.38

-54.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$3.07 $3.07

-59.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$13.29 $13.29

-65.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$13.75 $13.75

-23.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$2.18 $2.18

-22.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$4.07 $4.07

-31.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.94 $0.94

63.83%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$36.3K $36.3K

-37.20%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$26.2K $26.2K

-1.53%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$274 $274

-66.91%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$40.65 $40.65

-38.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$84.4 $84.4

-62.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$40.65 $40.65

69.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$14.60 $14.60

-66.71%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$1,803 $1,803

-87.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$30.0K $30.0K

-86.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$56.3 $56.3

-15.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$38.52 $38.52

12.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$79.4 $79.4

1.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$98.5 $98.5

-7.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$1,603 $1,603

-32.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$1,242 $1,242

-67.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$4,562 $4,562

-56.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$3,455 $3,455

-62.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$2,980 $2,980

35.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$3,020 $3,020

122.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.04

89.57%

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 Pittsfield, MA: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $1,603 in Pittsfield, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $96.0 in Pittsfield, MA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $434 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 Pittsfield, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Pittsfield, MA differ by about 102% in total monthly costs ($1,305 vs $2,634 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,958 in Playa del Carmen and $3,952 in Pittsfield, MA 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: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,603 in Pittsfield, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 56% higher in Pittsfield, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,634 in Pittsfield, MA – a 102% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,634 in Pittsfield, MA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Pittsfield, MA. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 102% less than in Pittsfield, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.