Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Wichita Falls, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,797 in Wichita Falls, TX, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Wichita Falls, TX, United States
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Wichita Falls, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$1,797
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Wichita Falls, 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 Wichita Falls, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,797 in Wichita Falls, TX, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Wichita Falls, TX $1,797

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,731 in Wichita Falls, TX, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Wichita Falls, TX $2,731

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,665 in Wichita Falls, TX, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Wichita Falls, TX $3,665

Playa del Carmen is about 33% cheaper than Wichita Falls, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Playa del Carmen sits 12% below the global median, while Wichita Falls, TX is 32% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Wichita Falls, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$204
$14.80 $14.80
-26.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$808
$59.5 $59.5
-27.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$220
$11.18 $11.18
5.37%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.0
$5.62 $5.62
-32.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$23.90
$3.19 $3.19
-59.87%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.59
$2.44 $2.44
-68.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.0
$5.08 $5.08
-37.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.0
$8.16 $8.16
-39.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Wichita Falls, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.22
$0.97 $0.97
45.36%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.33
$2.98 $2.98
-25.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.42
$3.96 $3.96
-64.14%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.03
$4.21 $4.21
-40.14%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$135
$13.01 $13.01
-44.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$143
$8.73 $8.73
-11.80%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$237
$10.85 $10.85
16.96%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.9
$4.50 $4.50
-38.22%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.50
$1.30 $1.30
5.38%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.55
$3.09 $3.09
-17.48%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.58
$2.16 $2.16
-1.85%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.13
$2.22 $2.22
-12.61%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.16
$3.01 $3.01
-37.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.37
$1.63 $1.63
-29.45%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$21.98
$2.77 $2.77
-57.40%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.1
$8.55 $8.55
-49.71%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$185
$8.98 $8.98
10.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.52
$1.08 $1.08
46.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$49.79
$1.52 $1.52
75.66%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Wichita Falls, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.31
$1.54 $1.54
-64.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$496
$44.78 $44.78
-40.55%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$92.6
$1.28 $1.28
288.28%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.1
$0.87 $0.87
282.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$99.8
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$26.92
$0.80 $0.80
80.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$385.2K
$25.9K $25.9K
-20.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$437.4K
$24.9K $24.9K
-5.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Wichita Falls, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,581
$248 $248
-65.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$436
$50.5 $50.5
-53.60%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$534
$62.3 $62.3
-54.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Wichita Falls, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,063
$14.83 $14.83
284.69%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$539
$19.67 $19.67
46.98%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$95.8
$8.78 $8.78
-41.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Wichita Falls, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,851
$2,651 $2,651
-92.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.2K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Wichita Falls, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$808
$50.9 $50.9
-14.77%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$772
$41.38 $41.38
0.14%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,383
$64.6 $64.6
14.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,664
$98.2 $98.2
-9.11%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Wichita Falls, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.3K
$1,048 $1,048
-6.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,099
$630 $630
-39.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$31.8K
$1,401 $1,401
21.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.0K
$1,201 $1,201
-10.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$73.5K
$1,466 $1,466
168.89%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$114.8K
$1,411 $1,411
336.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Wichita Falls, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.7K
$3,913 $3,913
-81.23%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
6.44
77.80%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Wichita Falls, TX: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Wichita Falls, TX
$630 65.4% $249
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Wichita Falls, TX
$320 25.5% $65
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Wichita Falls, TX
$284 40.1% $81
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Wichita Falls, TX
$360 163% $224
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Wichita Falls, TX
$115 2.7% $3.1
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Wichita Falls, TX
$32 51.9% $35
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Wichita Falls, TX
$57 12.1% $6.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,048 in Wichita Falls, TX. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Wichita Falls, TX are about 5.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $59 in Wichita Falls, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $320 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇺🇸 Wichita Falls, TX
🕒 Local time
11:05 11:05 AM
11:05 11:05 AM
Same time as Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
102,316
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.899 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Wichita Falls, TX 1,850 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Wichita Falls, 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 Wichita Falls, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Wichita Falls, TX?
Yes – Wichita Falls, TX is pricier by about 49%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,696 in Wichita Falls, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What is the rent difference between Playa del Carmen and Wichita Falls, TX?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $980 in Playa del Carmen and $1,048 in Wichita Falls, TX. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Wichita Falls, TX?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $1,797 in Wichita Falls, TX. That’s a gap of about 49%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 41% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Wichita Falls, TX?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Wichita Falls, TX at $1,797. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wichita Falls, TX it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Wichita Falls, TX more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Wichita Falls, TX makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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