Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Winona, MN and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,202 a month against $1,952 in Winona, MN, rent and utilities included – about $9,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Winona, MN, United States
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Winona, MN
🇺🇸 United States
$1,952
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Winona, MN and in Playa del Carmen

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

A single person spends $1,952 per month in Winona, MN vs $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Winona, MN $1,952
  • Playa del Carmen $1,202

A couple spends around $2,905 per month in Winona, MN vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Winona, MN $2,905
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $3,859 per month in Winona, MN vs $2,962 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Winona, MN $3,859
  • Playa del Carmen $2,962

Winona, MN costs about 62% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Winona, MN sits 44% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Winona, MN
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.79 $14.79
$10.67 MX$200
38.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$56.4 $56.4
$43.80 MX$823
28.79%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.41 $11.41
$11.79 MX$221
-3.22%
Cappuccino
$5.55 $5.55
$3.79 MX$71.1
46.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.71 $1.71
$1.30 MX$24.36
31.54%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.02 $1.02
$0.83 MX$15.65
22.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.07 $4.07
$3.15 MX$59.1
29.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.08 $6.08
$4.93 MX$92.7
23.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Winona, MN
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.91 $0.91
$1.41 MX$26.46
-35.46%
White Bread (500g)
$1.34 $1.34
$2.20 MX$41.23
-39.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.28 $4.28
$1.47 MX$27.66
191.16%
Eggs
$1.75 $1.75
$2.50 MX$46.89
-30.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.71 $14.71
$7.29 MX$137
101.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.45 $12.45
$7.95 MX$149
56.60%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.64 $19.64
$12.86 MX$242
52.72%
Apples (1kg)
$4.38 $4.38
$2.90 MX$54.4
51.03%
Banana (1kg)
$0.64 $0.64
$1.38 MX$25.98
-53.62%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.78 $4.78
$2.49 MX$46.78
91.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.72 $4.72
$2.03 MX$38.12
132.51%
Potato (1kg)
$2.72 $2.72
$2.02 MX$38.03
34.65%
Onion (1kg)
$2.85 $2.85
$1.90 MX$35.74
50.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.16 $2.16
$1.14 MX$21.49
89.47%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.27 $2.27
$1.24 MX$23.27
83.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.72 $10.72
$4.27 MX$80.2
151.05%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.72 $15.72
$9.81 MX$184
60.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.73 $2.73
$1.59 MX$29.78
71.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.24 $4.24
$2.75 MX$51.6
54.18%
🚌 Getting Around
Winona, MN
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.94 $1.94
$0.51 MX$9.67
280.39%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$67.4 $67.4
$27.39 MX$514
146.11%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.94 $3.94
$4.76 MX$89.4
-17.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 $2.05
$3.25 MX$61.0
-36.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$43.77 $43.77
$5.39 MX$101
712.06%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.08 $1.08
$1.53 MX$28.70
-29.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4K $30.4K
$21.2K MX$398.4K
43.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.5K $25.5K
$23.3K MX$436.9K
9.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Winona, MN
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$196 $196
$83.5 MX$1,568
134.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.48 $29.48
$23.19 MX$435
27.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$52.6 $52.6
$27.61 MX$519
90.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Winona, MN
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.1 $61.1
$56.4 MX$1,060
8.22%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$28.19 MX$529
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.01 $10.01
$5.00 MX$93.9
100.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Winona, MN
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,646 $1,646
$207 MX$3,889
694.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.6K $21.6K
$5,231 MX$98.2K
313.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Winona, MN
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.7 $61.7
$43.45 MX$816
42.09%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.12 $48.12
$42.54 MX$799
13.12%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$109 $109
$72.8 MX$1,367
49.74%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 $123
$88.4 MX$1,660
39.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Winona, MN
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$896 $896
$995 MX$18.7K
-9.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$704 $704
$382 MX$7,181
84.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,278 $1,278
$1,674 MX$31.4K
-23.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,184 $1,184
$1,081 MX$20.3K
9.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,704 $1,704
$3,909 MX$73.4K
-56.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,670 $1,670
$6,138 MX$115.3K
-72.79%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Winona, MN
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$832 MX$15.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.81
11.45
-40.52%

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

Last update for Winona, MN: October 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Winona, MN
$704
Playa del Carmen
$382 45.7% $321
Groceries & Markets
Winona, MN
$384
Playa del Carmen
$257 32.9% $126
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Winona, MN
$278
Playa del Carmen
$134 51.7% $143
Eating Out
Winona, MN
$262
Playa del Carmen
$200 23.7% $62
Clothing & Footwear
Winona, MN
$154
Playa del Carmen
$111 27.8% $43
Getting Around
Winona, MN
$89
Playa del Carmen
$50 43.5% $39
Sport & Entertainment
Winona, MN
$81
Playa del Carmen
$66 18.1% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $896 in Winona, MN versus $995 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $56 in Winona, MN versus $44 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $384 vs $257 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Winona, MN
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
21:26 9:26 PM
22:26 10:26 PM
1 h ahead of Winona, MN
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
26,533
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.891 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 18.78 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 21.08 MXN (100 MXN = 4.74 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Winona, MN Playa del Carmen 2,640 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Winona, MN
  • Playa del Carmen

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
Winona, MN vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Winona, MN?
Yes – Winona, MN is pricier by about 62%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,928 per month in Winona, MN and $1,804 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Winona, MN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $896 there versus $995 in Playa del Carmen.
What are total monthly expenses in Winona, MN and in Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,952 in Winona, MN and $1,202 in Playa del Carmen. That makes Playa del Carmen about 38% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 59% 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 Winona, MN or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,202, than in Winona, MN at $1,952. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Winona, MN it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Winona, MN or in Playa del Carmen?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,202 in Playa del Carmen to $1,952 in Winona, MN. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Winona, MN vs other spots: cost of living compared

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