Cost of Living Comparison Between Arlington, VA and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Arlington, VA and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,527 per month in Arlington, VA vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,438 per month in Arlington, VA vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,348 per month in Arlington, VA vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Arlington, VA costs about 173% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Arlington, VA sits 157% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.93 $23.93

$11.71 MX$198

104.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100.0 $100.0

$46.59 MX$788

114.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.04 $11.04

$11.65 MX$197

-5.24%

Cappuccino

$5.89 $5.89

$4.09 MX$69.2

44.01%

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

$3.01 $3.01

$1.37 MX$23.23

119.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$0.83 MX$14.09

203.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.89 $7.89

$3.35 MX$56.7

135.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.79 $8.79

$6.91 MX$117

27.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.73 MX$29.20

-30.06%

White Bread (500g)

$4.55 $4.55

$2.26 MX$38.21

101.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$1.77 MX$29.91

198.87%

Eggs

$5.28 $5.28

$2.73 MX$46.19

93.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.35 $21.35

$9.18 MX$155

132.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.57 $15.57

$8.92 MX$151

74.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.09 $23.09

$12.60 MX$213

83.25%

Apples (1kg)

$5.55 $5.55

$3.02 MX$51.1

83.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.57 MX$26.55

19.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$2.13 MX$35.93

114.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.88 $5.88

$2.26 MX$38.28

160.18%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 $3.20

$2.00 MX$33.88

60.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.73 $3.73

$2.06 MX$34.90

81.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.18 MX$19.94

93.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.20 MX$20.35

104.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.65 $10.65

$4.63 MX$78.4

130.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.06 $17.06

$10.69 MX$181

59.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.62 MX$27.38

71.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.88 MX$48.70

2.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.79 $2.79

$0.57 MX$9.69

389.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$122 $122

$29.83 MX$504

309.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 $4.08

$5.45 MX$92.1

-25.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 $1.23

$3.70 MX$62.6

-66.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.72 $24.72

$5.98 MX$101

313.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.55 MX$26.26

-39.35%

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

$34.6K $34.6K

$22.3K MX$377.4K

55.17%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

-4.93%

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

$161 $161

$89.1 MX$1,507

80.64%

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

$52.4 $52.4

$25.04 MX$423

109.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.8 $61.8

$31.50 MX$532

96.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.1 $71.1

$67.8 MX$1,146

4.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.11 $19.11

$28.92 MX$489

-33.92%

Cinema Ticket

$16.49 $16.49

$5.05 MX$85.4

226.53%

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

$1,613 $1,613

$225 MX$3,803

616.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.7K $36.7K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

769.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.0 $56.0

$47.44 MX$802

17.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.6 $62.6

$44.98 MX$760

39.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$82.0 MX$1,386

26.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 $160

$92.1 MX$1,557

73.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,456 $2,456

$1,069 MX$18.1K

129.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,997 $1,997

$405 MX$6,852

392.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,777 $4,777

$1,935 MX$32.7K

146.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,604 $3,604

$1,301 MX$22.0K

176.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,153 $6,153

$3,995 MX$67.5K

54.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,908 $4,908

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-25.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,734 $6,734

$749 MX$12.7K

799.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.27

11.45

-45.24%

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

Last update for Arlington, VA: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,456 in Arlington, VA versus $1,069 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 799% higher in Arlington, VA, 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 $100 in Arlington, VA versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $507 vs $277 – 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

Arlington, VA vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arlington, VA costs about 173% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,291 per month in Arlington, VA and $1,940 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.

Groceries cost about 83% more in Arlington, VA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Arlington, VA and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Arlington, VA at $3,527. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arlington, VA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,293 versus $3,527 in Arlington, VA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Arlington, VA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.