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: $2,756 in Airway Heights, WA versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,970 in Airway Heights, WA versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,183 in Airway Heights, WA versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Airway Heights, WA is roughly 113% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Airway Heights, WA is 106% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.91 $19.91

$11.73 MX$205

69.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.2 $66.2

$41.62 MX$727

58.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.22 $12.22

$10.64 MX$186

14.85%

Cappuccino

$4.82 $4.82

$3.52 MX$61.5

36.93%

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

$2.56 $2.56

$1.51 MX$26.37

69.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.97 MX$17.00

105.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 $5.84

$2.95 MX$51.5

97.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.59 $6.59

$4.45 MX$77.8

48.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.38 MX$24.16

-25.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.89 MX$33.04

57.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.53 $6.53

$1.64 MX$28.59

298.17%

Eggs

$4.43 $4.43

$2.51 MX$43.76

76.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.32 $16.32

$8.34 MX$146

95.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.82 $14.82

$8.34 MX$146

77.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.47 $16.47

$10.73 MX$187

53.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$2.60 MX$45.48

88.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.46 MX$25.45

28.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.94 $4.94

$1.90 MX$33.19

160.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.62 $5.62

$2.08 MX$36.26

170.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.78 MX$31.01

64.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.19 MX$38.16

21.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.04 MX$18.16

93.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.08 MX$18.80

92.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.39 $11.39

$4.08 MX$71.3

179.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.75 $13.75

$10.32 MX$180

33.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.71 MX$29.90

2.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.10 $5.10

$2.58 MX$44.98

97.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.51 MX$8.90

288.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 $4.89

$3.26 MX$57.0

50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.49 MX$43.51

-28.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.21 $40.21

$3.25 MX$56.7

1137.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.31 MX$22.83

-32.06%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$30.3K MX$528.8K

-8.93%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$23.4K MX$409.2K

11.77%

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

$276 $276

$82.9 MX$1,447

232.80%

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

$56.8 $56.8

$22.22 MX$388

155.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.4 $74.4

$29.34 MX$512

153.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.75 $43.75

$51.6 MX$902

-15.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$14.83 $14.83

$5.07 MX$88.5

192.50%

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

$1,415 $1,415

$201 MX$3,507

604.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K $15.8K

$5,212 MX$91.0K

203.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 $51.9

$36.92 MX$645

40.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.2 $50.2

$39.79 MX$695

26.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.2 $85.2

$78.5 MX$1,370

8.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.1 $95.1

$87.1 MX$1,521

9.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,574 $1,574

$973 MX$17.0K

61.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,365 $1,365

$468 MX$8,169

191.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,645 $2,645

$1,641 MX$28.7K

61.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,193 $2,193

$1,221 MX$21.3K

79.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,460 $2,460

$3,946 MX$68.9K

-37.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,355 $2,355

$6,498 MX$113.5K

-63.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,169 $4,169

$664 MX$11.6K

527.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

11.42

-41.86%

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

Last update for Airway Heights, WA: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,574 in Airway Heights, WA and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Airway Heights, WA pays 528% 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: $66.0 in Airway Heights, WA vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $433 vs $249 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 113% 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.

Airway Heights, WA pays 528% more on average, 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: $1,574 in Airway Heights, WA versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 74% higher in Airway Heights, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,756 per month in Airway Heights, WA versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 113% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,756 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 $1,297 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 113% less than in Airway Heights, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.