Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,432 in Buckley, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Buckley, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,432
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Buckley, WA and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Buckley, WA and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,432 per month in Buckley, WA vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Buckley, WA $2,432
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $3,581 per month in Buckley, WA vs $2,102 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Buckley, WA $3,581
  • Playa del Carmen $2,102

A family of three spends $4,730 per month in Buckley, WA vs $3,000 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Buckley, WA $4,730
  • Playa del Carmen $3,000

Buckley, WA costs about 102% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Buckley, WA sits 79% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Buckley, WA
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.29 $25.29
$10.86 MX$201
132.87%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.7 $65.7
$44.21 MX$817
48.52%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.37 $12.37
$11.76 MX$217
5.19%
Cappuccino
$6.27 $6.27
$3.68 MX$68.0
70.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93 $2.93
$1.34 MX$24.79
118.66%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 $1.68
$0.82 MX$15.24
104.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.11 $7.11
$3.06 MX$56.6
132.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.06 $7.06
$4.94 MX$91.2
42.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Buckley, WA
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.75 $0.75
$1.47 MX$27.17
-48.98%
White Bread (500g)
$2.21 $2.21
$2.22 MX$40.95
-0.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.23 $3.23
$1.48 MX$27.32
118.24%
Eggs
$4.01 $4.01
$2.49 MX$45.99
61.04%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.29 $13.29
$7.52 MX$139
76.73%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.86 $8.86
$7.96 MX$147
11.31%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.37 $13.37
$12.57 MX$232
6.36%
Apples (1kg)
$3.25 $3.25
$2.78 MX$51.3
16.91%
Banana (1kg)
$1.58 $1.58
$1.43 MX$26.37
10.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.90 $2.90
$2.62 MX$48.37
10.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.24 $3.24
$2.14 MX$39.49
51.40%
Potato (1kg)
$2.74 $2.74
$2.02 MX$37.38
35.64%
Onion (1kg)
$2.44 $2.44
$1.99 MX$36.74
22.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.35 $2.35
$1.14 MX$21.01
106.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.63 $2.63
$1.20 MX$22.18
119.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.06 $10.06
$4.26 MX$78.7
136.15%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.03 $7.03
$10.02 MX$185
-29.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.49 $2.49
$1.54 MX$28.41
61.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33 $2.33
$2.66 MX$49.17
-12.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Buckley, WA
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.89 $1.89
$0.53 MX$9.73
256.60%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$27.51 MX$508
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.08 $5.08
$4.90 MX$90.6
3.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.22 $1.22
$3.43 MX$63.5
-64.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.78 $24.78
$5.38 MX$99.4
360.59%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 $1.31
$1.45 MX$26.76
-9.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.1K $28.1K
$21.2K MX$391.0K
32.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K $26.6K
$23.0K MX$425.3K
15.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buckley, WA
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$159 $159
$85.4 MX$1,577
85.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$69.9 $69.9
$23.46 MX$434
197.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.10 $40.10
$28.43 MX$525
41.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Buckley, WA
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.32 $40.32
$62.2 MX$1,149
-35.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$28.68 MX$530
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.14 $12.14
$5.10 MX$94.3
138.04%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Buckley, WA
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,428 $1,428
$201 MX$3,715
610.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.6K $23.6K
$3,947 MX$72.9K
497.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Buckley, WA
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$27.07 $27.07
$44.39 MX$820
-39.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.1 $56.1
$41.35 MX$764
35.67%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$41.32 $41.32
$72.7 MX$1,344
-43.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$65.5 $65.5
$89.6 MX$1,656
-26.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Buckley, WA
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,571 $1,571
$979 MX$18.1K
60.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,290 $1,290
$373 MX$6,887
246.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,461 $2,461
$1,681 MX$31.1K
46.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,186 $2,186
$1,095 MX$20.2K
99.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,699 $2,699
$3,949 MX$73.0K
-31.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,412 $2,412
$6,137 MX$113.4K
-60.69%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Buckley, WA
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,544 $2,544
$738 MX$13.6K
244.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.81
11.45
-40.52%

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

Last update for Buckley, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Buckley, WA
$1.3K
Playa del Carmen
$373 71.1% $918
Eating Out
Buckley, WA
$383
Playa del Carmen
$200 47.7% $183
Groceries & Markets
Buckley, WA
$322
Playa del Carmen
$258 19.7% $63
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buckley, WA
$269
Playa del Carmen
$137 48.9% $131
Clothing & Footwear
Buckley, WA
$85
Playa del Carmen
$112 30.6% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Buckley, WA
$65
Playa del Carmen
$72 12.1% $7.8
Getting Around
Buckley, WA
$19 *
Playa del Carmen
$52 176% $33

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,571 in Buckley, WA versus $979 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 245% higher in Buckley, WA, 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 $66.0 in Buckley, WA versus $44.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $322 vs $258 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Buckley, WA
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
03:52 3:52 AM
05:52 5:52 AM
2 h ahead of Buckley, WA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,000
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Buckley, WA Playa del Carmen 4,310 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Buckley, WA
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Buckley, WA vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Buckley, WA?
Yes – Buckley, WA is pricier by about 102%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,648 per month in Buckley, WA and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in Buckley, WA or in Playa del Carmen?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $66.0 in Buckley, WA and $44.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Buckley, WA and in Playa del Carmen?
Groceries cost about 24% more in Buckley, WA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Buckley, WA or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Buckley, WA at $2,432. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Buckley, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Buckley, WA or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Buckley, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Buckley, WA vs other spots: cost of living compared

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