😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,549 in Beckley, WV versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,754 in Beckley, WV versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,960 in Beckley, WV versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Living in Beckley, WV is roughly 97% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Beckley, WV is 90% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Beckley, WV
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.88$18.88
$11.73MX$205
60.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$75.2$75.2
$41.62MX$727
80.71%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.17$11.17
$10.64MX$186
4.98%
Cappuccino
$5.13$5.13
$3.52MX$61.5
45.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24$2.24
$1.51MX$26.37
48.34%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06$2.06
$0.97MX$17.00
112.37%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.15$6.15
$2.95MX$51.5
108.47%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.63$6.63
$4.45MX$77.8
48.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Beckley, WV
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.90$0.90
$1.38MX$24.16
-34.78%
White Bread(500g)
$3.42$3.42
$1.89MX$33.04
80.95%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.44$4.44
$1.64MX$28.59
170.73%
Eggs
$4.13$4.13
$2.51MX$43.76
64.54%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.21$12.21
$8.34MX$146
46.40%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.97$5.97
$8.34MX$146
-28.42%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.55$11.55
$10.73MX$187
7.64%
Apples(1kg)
$4.85$4.85
$2.60MX$45.48
86.54%
Banana(1kg)
$1.59$1.59
$1.46MX$25.45
8.90%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.28$4.28
$1.90MX$33.19
125.26%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.63$4.63
$2.08MX$36.26
122.60%
Potato(1kg)
$2.90$2.90
$1.78MX$31.01
62.92%
Onion(1kg)
$2.88$2.88
$2.19MX$38.16
31.51%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.05$2.05
$1.04MX$18.16
97.12%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.11$2.11
$1.08MX$18.80
95.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.85$9.85
$4.08MX$71.3
141.42%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.81$14.81
$10.32MX$180
43.51%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79$1.79
$1.71MX$29.90
4.68%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.39$3.39
$2.58MX$44.98
31.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Beckley, WV
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.98$1.98
$0.51MX$8.90
288.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$65.1$65.1
$26.46MX$462
145.88%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.49$3.49
$3.26MX$57.0
7.06%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.66$1.66
$2.49MX$43.51
-33.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$29.54$29.54
$3.25MX$56.7
808.92%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.91$0.91
$1.31MX$22.83
-30.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.4K$29.4K
$30.3KMX$528.8K
-2.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.2K$25.2K
$23.4KMX$409.2K
7.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Beckley, WV
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$187$187
$82.9MX$1,447
125.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$53.5$53.5
$22.22MX$388
140.64%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$64.9$64.9
$29.34MX$512
121.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Beckley, WV
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.76$42.76
$51.6MX$902
-17.18%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.32MX$320
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.60$13.60
$5.07MX$88.5
168.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Beckley, WV
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,278$1,278
$201MX$3,507
536.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$23.8K$23.8K
$5,212MX$91.0K
356.33%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Beckley, WV
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.4$50.4
$36.92MX$645
36.38%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.74$39.74
$39.79MX$695
-0.13%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$87.8$87.8
$78.5MX$1,370
11.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111$111
$87.1MX$1,521
27.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Beckley, WV
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,628$1,628
$973MX$17.0K
67.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,344$1,344
$468MX$8,169
187.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,599$2,599
$1,641MX$28.7K
58.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,203$2,203
$1,221MX$21.3K
80.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,690$2,690
$3,946MX$68.9K
-31.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,360$2,360
$6,498MX$113.5K
-63.68%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Beckley, WV
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,599$4,599
$664MX$11.6K
592.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.51
11.42
-42.99%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Beckley, WV: May 31, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Beckley, WV and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Beckley, WV pays 593% 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: $75.0 in Beckley, WV vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $346 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
Beckley, WV vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Beckley, WV or Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 97% lower than in Beckley, WV. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Beckley, WV or Playa del Carmen?
Beckley, WV pays 593% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Beckley, WV vs Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,628 in Beckley, WV versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Beckley, WV compared to Playa del Carmen?
All in, you'll spend $2,549 per month in Beckley, WV versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 97% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Beckley, WV vs Playa del Carmen?
A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 146% less than in Beckley, WV. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Beckley, WV or Playa del Carmen?
At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,549 in Beckley, WV, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Beckley, WV. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Beckley, WV or Playa del Carmen?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 97% less than in Beckley, WV. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Beckley, WV vs other spots: cost of living compared