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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,168 in Ashburn, VA versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,303 in Ashburn, VA versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,438 in Ashburn, VA versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Ashburn, VA is roughly 143% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ashburn, VA is 130% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.01 $19.01

$11.96 MX$203

58.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$47.38 MX$804

90.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.24 $13.24

$11.75 MX$199

12.68%

Cappuccino

$5.96 $5.96

$4.12 MX$70.0

44.66%

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

$2.79 $2.79

$1.40 MX$23.74

99.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$0.91 MX$15.48

192.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 $4.87

$3.21 MX$54.4

51.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.71 $8.71

$7.07 MX$120

23.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.68 MX$28.44

-30.36%

White Bread (500g)

$4.23 $4.23

$2.15 MX$36.48

96.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$1.77 MX$30.10

55.37%

Eggs

$5.36 $5.36

$2.82 MX$47.76

90.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.04 $17.04

$9.20 MX$156

85.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.46 $15.46

$9.23 MX$157

67.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.20 $19.20

$12.64 MX$214

51.90%

Apples (1kg)

$5.48 $5.48

$2.95 MX$50.1

85.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.58 MX$26.79

40.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.43 $6.43

$2.22 MX$37.70

189.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.40 $5.40

$2.36 MX$40.09

128.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.10 $3.10

$1.99 MX$33.81

55.78%

Onion (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$1.98 MX$33.58

92.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.24 MX$21.04

67.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.21 MX$20.55

131.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.09 $10.09

$4.60 MX$78.1

119.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$10.52 MX$178

41.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.69 MX$28.70

-0.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 $4.77

$2.77 MX$47.06

72.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.30 $2.30

$0.60 MX$10.22

283.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.0 $73.0

$29.70 MX$504

145.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$5.24 MX$88.8

-44.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 $1.41

$3.65 MX$61.9

-61.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.22 $22.22

$5.78 MX$98.1

284.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.54 MX$26.09

-39.61%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

56.89%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-1.38%

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

$97.2 $97.2

$90.7 MX$1,538

7.18%

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

$49.54 $49.54

$25.19 MX$427

96.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.5 $73.5

$31.75 MX$539

131.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 $61.1

$68.8 MX$1,167

-11.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.78 $11.78

$29.37 MX$498

-59.89%

Cinema Ticket

$16.95 $16.95

$4.86 MX$82.5

248.77%

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

$1,604 $1,604

$226 MX$3,828

610.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.2K $32.2K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

668.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.39 $46.39

$47.38 MX$804

-2.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.04 $37.04

$43.45 MX$737

-14.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 $98.0

$80.2 MX$1,361

22.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$91.4 MX$1,550

15.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 $2,022

$1,086 MX$18.4K

86.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,770 $1,770

$409 MX$6,933

333.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,186 $4,186

$1,972 MX$33.5K

112.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,234 $2,234

$1,281 MX$21.7K

74.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,022 $3,022

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-25.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,086 $3,086

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-53.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,719 $7,719

$773 MX$13.1K

898.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

11.45

-44.63%

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

Last update for Ashburn, VA: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,022 in Ashburn, VA and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ashburn, VA pays 898% 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: $90.0 in Ashburn, VA vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $472 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

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

Ashburn, VA and Playa del Carmen differ by about 143% in total monthly costs ($3,168 vs $1,305 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 898% higher in Ashburn, VA, 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: $2,022 in Ashburn, VA versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,604 in Ashburn, VA versus $226 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 70% higher in Ashburn, VA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,168 in Ashburn, VA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Ashburn, VA. 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 143% less than in Ashburn, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.