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: $2,522 in Arlington, WA versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,959 in Arlington, WA versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,395 in Arlington, WA versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Arlington, WA is roughly 99% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Arlington, WA is 84% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.49 $25.49

$11.60 MX$199

119.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.1 $99.1

$47.11 MX$809

110.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.23 $12.23

$11.88 MX$204

2.95%

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$3.98 MX$68.2

37.44%

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

$3.02 $3.02

$1.43 MX$24.49

111.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.82 MX$14.16

148.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.91 $4.91

$3.19 MX$54.7

53.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.95 $5.95

$6.79 MX$117

-12.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.68 MX$28.76

-41.07%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.20 MX$37.71

70.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.24 $4.24

$1.71 MX$29.32

147.95%

Eggs

$6.03 $6.03

$2.74 MX$47.05

120.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 $9.81

$9.58 MX$164

2.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 $8.12

$9.01 MX$155

-9.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.55 $15.55

$12.81 MX$220

21.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.89 MX$49.58

-6.23%

Banana (1kg)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.50 MX$25.70

111.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.63 $5.63

$2.15 MX$36.87

161.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.50 $6.50

$2.26 MX$38.79

187.61%

Potato (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.98 MX$34.00

121.21%

Onion (1kg)

$3.44 $3.44

$1.99 MX$34.15

72.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.23 MX$21.18

108.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.20 MX$20.54

148.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.23 $13.23

$4.55 MX$78.1

190.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.35 $18.35

$10.37 MX$178

76.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.62 MX$27.79

4.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.82 $5.82

$2.88 MX$49.44

102.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.11 $10.11

$5.39 MX$92.5

87.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.54 MX$26.37

-25.32%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$22.5K MX$387.0K

59.96%

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

$24.1K $24.1K

$26.1K MX$447.3K

-7.56%

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

$219 $219

$91.4 MX$1,569

139.94%

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

$49.91 $49.91

$25.20 MX$433

98.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.77 $44.77

$31.24 MX$536

43.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.85 $32.85

$67.2 MX$1,154

-51.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

Cinema Ticket

$16.67 $16.67

$4.86 MX$83.5

243.00%

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

$1,139 $1,139

$224 MX$3,839

409.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.85 $37.85

$47.10 MX$808

-19.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.53 $28.53

$44.29 MX$760

-35.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.36 $44.36

$80.1 MX$1,375

-44.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 $78.7

$92.7 MX$1,591

-15.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,558 $1,558

$1,063 MX$18.2K

46.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,296 $1,296

$390 MX$6,698

231.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,869 $2,869

$2,149 MX$36.9K

33.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,547 $2,547

$1,272 MX$21.8K

100.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,713 $5,713

$758 MX$13.0K

653.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

11.45

-57.64%

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

Last update for Arlington, WA: September 15, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,558 in Arlington, WA and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arlington, WA pays 654% 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: $99.0 in Arlington, WA vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $416 vs $276 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 99% in total monthly costs ($2,522 vs $1,266 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 654% higher in Arlington, 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: $1,558 in Arlington, WA versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 51% higher in Arlington, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,522 per month in Arlington, WA versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 99% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,522 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 99% less than in Arlington, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.