Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Starkville, MS Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Starkville, MS

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,773 in Starkville, MS, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,677 in Starkville, MS, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,581 in Starkville, MS, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 26% cheaper than Starkville, MS, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Starkville, MS is 29% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$15.21 $15.21

-21.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$60.3 $60.3

-21.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$8.08 $8.08

45.42%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$4.27 $4.27

-3.51%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$2.46 $2.46

-43.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$1.92 $1.92

-52.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$4.11 $4.11

-21.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$7.02 $7.02

0.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$0.82 $0.82

104.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$2.89 $2.89

-25.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$2.71 $2.71

-34.69%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$4.53 $4.53

-37.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$9.72 $9.72

-5.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$9.83 $9.83

-6.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$14.84 $14.84

-14.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.89 $3.89

-24.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.38 $1.38

14.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$3.77 $3.77

-41.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$2.96 $2.96

-20.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$2.16 $2.16

-7.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$2.20 $2.20

-10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$2.23 $2.23

-44.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.87 $1.87

-35.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$8.56 $8.56

-46.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$10.09 $10.09

4.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.70 $1.70

-0.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$3.31 $3.31

-16.31%

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

$4.22 $4.22

24.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.92 $1.92

90.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$31.92 $31.92

-81.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.82 $0.82

87.80%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$35.0K $35.0K

-34.77%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$25.2K $25.2K

2.36%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$169 $169

-46.28%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$29.47 $29.47

-14.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$52.6 $52.6

-39.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$17.48 $17.48

293.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$8.17 $8.17

-40.51%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$1,568 $1,568

-85.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$8,383 $8,383

-49.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$75.1 $75.1

-36.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$52.7 $52.7

-17.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$87.1 $87.1

-7.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$171 $171

-46.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$917 $917

18.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$732 $732

-44.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$1,582 $1,582

24.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$1,346 $1,346

-4.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$2,208 $2,208

83.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$2,206 $2,206

203.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$4,154 $4,154

-81.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.23

83.79%

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 Starkville, MS: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $917 in Starkville, MS. 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 437% higher in Starkville, MS, 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $60.0 in Starkville, MS. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $324 – 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 Starkville, MS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Starkville, MS is pricier by about 36%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $2,659 in Starkville, MS. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,773 in Starkville, MS. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,568 in Starkville, MS. 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 $1,305, than in Starkville, MS at $1,773. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Starkville, MS it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Starkville, MS makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.