Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Waco, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,215 a month against $2,447 in Waco, TX, rent and utilities included – about $14,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

60

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index
117

Cost of Living Index in Waco, TX
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Waco, TX Living Index

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Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,215

/mo nomad

Waco, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,447

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Waco, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Waco, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,215 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,447 in Waco, TX, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $1,215
Waco, TX $2,447

A couple spends around $2,144 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,090 in Waco, TX, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,144
Waco, TX $3,090

A family of three spends $3,072 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,734 in Waco, TX, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $3,072
Waco, TX $3,734

Playa del Carmen is about 50% cheaper than Waco, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Playa del Carmen sits 9% below the global median, while Waco, TX is 83% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.97 MX$202

$15.21 $15.21

-27.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.85 MX$826

$59.0 $59.0

-24.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.92 MX$220

$12.18 $12.18

-2.13%

Cappuccino

$3.80 MX$70.1

$5.39 $5.39

-29.50%

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

$1.31 MX$24.16

$1.77 $1.77

-25.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 MX$15.77

$1.49 $1.49

-42.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$59.2

$4.93 $4.93

-34.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 MX$92.3

$5.52 $5.52

-9.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 MX$26.86

$0.76 $0.76

92.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 MX$42.86

$3.16 $3.16

-26.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MX$26.57

$2.03 $2.03

-29.06%

Eggs

$2.46 MX$45.34

$2.78 $2.78

-11.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 MX$142

$12.06 $12.06

-36.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.89 MX$145

$9.70 $9.70

-18.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.80 MX$236

$11.67 $11.67

9.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MX$53.7

$3.83 $3.83

-23.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MX$26.19

$1.12 $1.12

26.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MX$47.25

$3.86 $3.86

-33.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MX$39.37

$3.71 $3.71

-42.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 MX$35.86

$2.27 $2.27

-14.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 MX$35.66

$2.86 $2.86

-32.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$21.20

$1.76 $1.76

-34.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MX$22.49

$0.99 $0.99

23.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 MX$80.6

$8.54 $8.54

-48.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.85 MX$182

$13.49 $13.49

-26.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$28.32

$1.68 $1.68

-8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 MX$50.0

$3.81 $3.81

-28.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.67

$1.54 $1.54

-66.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.42 MX$505

$40.12 $40.12

-31.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 MX$90.5

$9.93 $9.93

-50.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.52 MX$64.9

$1.90 $1.90

85.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 MX$105

$59.4 $59.4

-90.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$28.37

$0.89 $0.89

73.03%

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

$21.2K MX$391.2K

$36.2K $36.2K

-41.36%

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

$24.5K MX$451.1K

$25.0K $25.0K

-2.11%

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

$83.6 MX$1,540

$175 $175

-52.35%

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

$24.03 MX$443

$40.53 $40.53

-40.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.33 MX$540

$54.7 $54.7

-46.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.9 MX$1,195

$27.96 $27.96

132.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.46 MX$543

Cinema Ticket

$5.09 MX$93.7

$9.07 $9.07

-43.88%

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

$208 MX$3,825

$747 $747

-72.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,045 MX$74.5K

$18.2K $18.2K

-77.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.55 MX$821

$47.91 $47.91

-7.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 MX$775

$38.27 $38.27

9.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 MX$1,391

$85.3 $85.3

-11.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,683

$95.4 $95.4

-4.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 MX$18.2K

$1,244 $1,244

-20.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 MX$7,095

$1,328 $1,328

-71.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,713 MX$31.6K

$1,541 $1,541

11.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,108 MX$20.4K

$1,374 $1,374

-19.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,016 MX$74.0K

$1,970 $1,970

103.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,247 MX$115.1K

$1,955 $1,955

219.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$14.0K

$3,156 $3,156

-75.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.49

76.43%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026

Last update for Waco, TX: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$385 31.4%

Waco, TX

$1.3K 55% 245% $943

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$260 21.2%

Waco, TX

$312 12.9% 20% $52

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$204 16.6%

Waco, TX

$272 11.3% 33.2% $68

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.2%

Waco, TX

$271 11.2% 97.6% $134

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$114 9.3%

Waco, TX

$120 5% 5.3% $6

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$75 6.1%

Waco, TX

$46 1.9% 38.6% $29

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$52 4.2%

Waco, TX

$66 2.7% 26.3% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,244 in Waco, TX. 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 316% higher in Waco, TX, 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 $45.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $59.0 in Waco, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $312 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇺🇸 Waco, TX

🕒 Local time

09:43 9:43 AM

Same time as Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

138,486

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.43 USD

100 MXN = 4.84 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 12, 2026: 1 USD = 18.42 MXN (100 MXN = 5.43 USD). 1 EUR = 20.64 MXN (100 MXN = 4.84 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 12, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

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Playa del Carmen Waco, TX 1,570 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
Waco, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Waco, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Waco, TX is pricier by about 101%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,823 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,670 in Waco, TX. 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 $1,215 in Playa del Carmen and $2,447 in Waco, TX. That's a gap of about 101%.

Public transport costs about 46% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,215, than in Waco, TX at $2,447. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Waco, TX 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, Waco, TX makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.