Cost of Living Comparison Between Silver City, NM and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Silver City, NM and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,683 per month in Silver City, NM vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,762 per month in Silver City, NM vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,841 per month in Silver City, NM vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Silver City, NM costs about 107% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Silver City, NM sits 100% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.01 $18.01

$11.73 MX$203

53.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.1 $57.1

$41.62 MX$719

37.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.16 $12.16

$10.64 MX$184

14.29%

Cappuccino

$5.18 $5.18

$3.52 MX$60.8

47.16%

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

$2.90 $2.90

$1.51 MX$26.09

92.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 $1.42

$0.97 MX$16.82

46.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.95 MX$51.0

79.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.84 $5.84

$4.45 MX$77.0

31.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.38 MX$23.90

-39.13%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 $3.28

$1.89 MX$32.69

73.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.00 $5.00

$1.64 MX$28.29

204.88%

Eggs

$4.34 $4.34

$2.51 MX$43.30

72.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.79 $10.79

$8.34 MX$144

29.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 $11.13

$8.34 MX$144

33.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.84 $14.84

$10.73 MX$185

38.30%

Apples (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$2.60 MX$45.00

64.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.46 MX$25.18

25.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$1.90 MX$32.84

108.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 $4.11

$2.08 MX$35.88

97.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.78 MX$30.68

36.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.19 MX$37.76

11.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.04 MX$17.97

86.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.08 MX$18.60

35.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.46 $9.46

$4.08 MX$70.5

131.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 $13.42

$10.32 MX$178

30.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.71 MX$29.59

23.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.58 MX$44.50

29.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.51 MX$8.81

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.26 MX$56.4

-14.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.49 MX$43.05

-44.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

$3.25 MX$56.1

985.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.31 MX$22.59

-33.59%

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

$30.8K $30.8K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

1.59%

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

$21.8K $21.8K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

-6.84%

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

$265 $265

$82.9 MX$1,432

219.31%

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

$70.8 $70.8

$22.22 MX$384

218.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.3 $69.3

$29.34 MX$507

136.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.51 $42.51

$51.6 MX$892

-17.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$12.83 $12.83

$5.07 MX$87.5

153.06%

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

$1,070 $1,070

$201 MX$3,470

433.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K $15.7K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

202.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 $50.8

$36.92 MX$638

37.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.59 $38.59

$39.79 MX$688

-3.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$78.5 MX$1,356

8.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$87.1 MX$1,505

20.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 $1,014

$973 MX$16.8K

4.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,347 $1,347

$468 MX$8,082

187.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,781 $1,781

$1,641 MX$28.4K

8.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,196 $2,196

$1,221 MX$21.1K

79.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,886 $1,886

$3,946 MX$68.2K

-52.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,916 $1,916

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-70.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,965 $2,965

$664 MX$11.5K

346.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

11.42

-42.73%

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

Last update for Silver City, NM: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Silver City, NM versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. 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 347% higher in Silver City, NM, 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 $57.0 in Silver City, NM versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $362 vs $249 – 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

Silver City, NM vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Silver City, NM is pricier by about 107%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,024 per month in Silver City, NM and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $2,683 in Silver City, NM and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,070 per month in Silver City, NM and $201 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $1,297, than in Silver City, NM at $2,683. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Silver City, NM 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, Silver City, NM makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.