Cost of Living Comparison Between Airway Heights, WA and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Airway Heights, WA and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,475 in Airway Heights, WA versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,680 in Airway Heights, WA versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,886 in Airway Heights, WA versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Airway Heights, WA is roughly 90% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Airway Heights, WA is 79% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.75 $16.75

$11.96 MX$202

40.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.5 $76.5

$47.38 MX$800

61.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.54 $9.54

$11.75 MX$198

-18.81%

Cappuccino

$4.23 $4.23

$4.12 MX$69.6

2.67%

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

$2.34 $2.34

$1.40 MX$23.63

67.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$0.91 MX$15.40

140.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 $5.86

$3.21 MX$54.1

82.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.92 $5.92

$7.07 MX$119

-16.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.68 MX$28.31

-44.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.15 MX$36.31

52.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.89 $4.89

$1.77 MX$29.96

176.27%

Eggs

$4.38 $4.38

$2.82 MX$47.54

55.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 $16.04

$9.20 MX$155

74.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.99 $10.99

$9.23 MX$156

19.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.75 $16.75

$12.64 MX$213

32.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$2.95 MX$49.83

63.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.58 MX$26.66

1.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$2.22 MX$37.53

148.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$2.36 MX$39.90

73.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.99 MX$33.65

22.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.98 MX$33.42

47.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.24 MX$20.94

64.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.21 MX$20.46

57.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.82 $10.82

$4.60 MX$77.7

135.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.83 $13.83

$10.52 MX$178

31.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.69 MX$28.56

11.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 $4.39

$2.77 MX$46.84

58.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.15 $2.15

$0.60 MX$10.17

258.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$502

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.15 $5.15

$5.24 MX$88.4

-1.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 $1.77

$3.65 MX$61.6

-51.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.69 $40.69

$5.78 MX$97.7

603.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.54 MX$25.97

-14.29%

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

$33.7K $33.7K

$22.8K MX$385.0K

47.76%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.8K MX$435.8K

1.29%

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

$136 $136

$90.7 MX$1,531

50.07%

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

$51.9 $51.9

$25.19 MX$425

106.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.2 $68.2

$31.75 MX$536

114.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.29 $47.29

$68.8 MX$1,162

-31.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$496

Cinema Ticket

$13.42 $13.42

$4.86 MX$82.1

176.13%

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

$1,361 $1,361

$226 MX$3,811

503.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K $14.2K

$4,194 MX$70.8K

238.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 $53.0

$47.38 MX$800

11.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 $44.29

$43.45 MX$734

1.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$80.2 MX$1,355

28.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$91.4 MX$1,543

56.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,600 $1,600

$1,086 MX$18.3K

47.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 $1,288

$409 MX$6,900

215.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,493 $2,493

$1,972 MX$33.3K

26.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,140 $2,140

$1,281 MX$21.6K

66.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,797 $2,797

$4,046 MX$68.3K

-30.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,448 $2,448

$6,704 MX$113.2K

-63.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,283 $4,283

$773 MX$13.1K

453.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.23

11.45

-45.59%

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

Last update for Airway Heights, WA: September 5, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,600 in Airway Heights, WA and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Airway Heights, WA pays 454% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $76.0 in Airway Heights, WA vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $399 vs $278 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

Airway Heights, WA vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 90% lower than in Airway Heights, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 454% higher in Airway Heights, WA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,600 in Airway Heights, WA versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Airway Heights, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,475 per month in Airway Heights, WA versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – a 90% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,475 in Airway Heights, WA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Airway Heights, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,305 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Airway Heights, WA and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 90% less than in Airway Heights, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.