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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,370 in Arlington, WA versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,537 in Arlington, WA versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,705 in Arlington, WA versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Arlington, WA is roughly 84% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Arlington, WA is 77% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.34 $16.34

$11.94 MX$209

36.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.4 $72.4

$42.75 MX$748

69.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.42 $12.42

$10.59 MX$185

17.28%

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$3.62 MX$63.4

44.20%

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

$2.94 $2.94

$1.47 MX$25.69

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.94 MX$16.51

118.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.11 $5.11

$3.09 MX$54.1

65.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.97 $11.97

$4.46 MX$78.0

168.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.43 MX$24.94

-25.17%

White Bread (500g)

$4.10 $4.10

$1.88 MX$32.97

118.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$1.63 MX$28.50

196.32%

Eggs

$4.93 $4.93

$2.64 MX$46.26

86.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.68 $9.68

$8.21 MX$144

17.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.89 $7.89

$8.29 MX$145

-4.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.23 $15.23

$11.10 MX$194

37.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 $2.84

$2.65 MX$46.40

7.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.50 MX$26.26

12.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.09 $5.09

$1.99 MX$34.79

155.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$2.08 MX$36.33

134.62%

Potato (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$1.79 MX$31.29

88.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.18 MX$38.09

32.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.08 MX$18.84

86.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.04 MX$18.15

186.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.09 $11.09

$3.97 MX$69.5

179.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.91 $14.91

$10.20 MX$179

46.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.73 MX$30.22

-1.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.37 $6.37

$2.50 MX$43.71

154.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.52 MX$9.07

292.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 $2.62

$3.14 MX$55.0

-16.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 $0.74

$2.40 MX$42.04

-69.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.88 $29.88

$3.09 MX$54.0

866.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.27 MX$22.28

-16.54%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

18.83%

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

$24.0K $24.0K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

2.91%

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

$214 $214

$82.0 MX$1,435

161.20%

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

$49.86 $49.86

$22.45 MX$393

122.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.68 $44.68

$29.66 MX$519

50.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.63 $33.63

$51.9 MX$908

-35.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$14.77 $14.77

$4.97 MX$87.0

197.18%

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

$2,078 $2,078

$198 MX$3,462

950.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

489.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.28 $38.28

$36.34 MX$636

5.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.43 $39.43

$40.05 MX$701

-1.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 $72.9

$79.9 MX$1,398

-8.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$88.9 MX$1,555

14.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,291 $1,291

$963 MX$16.9K

34.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 $1,218

$465 MX$8,133

162.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,456 $2,456

$1,596 MX$27.9K

53.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,030 $2,030

$1,209 MX$21.2K

67.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,762 $5,762

$720 MX$12.6K

699.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

11.42

-57.53%

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

Last update for Arlington, WA: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,291 in Arlington, WA and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arlington, WA pays 700% 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: $72.0 in Arlington, WA vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $385 vs $251 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

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

Arlington, WA and Playa del Carmen differ by about 84% in total monthly costs ($2,370 vs $1,287 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Arlington, WA pays 700% 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: $1,291 in Arlington, WA versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Arlington, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,370 per month in Arlington, WA versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 84% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,370 in Arlington, WA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Arlington, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 84% less than in Arlington, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.