Cost of Living Comparison Between Charleston, WV and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Charleston, WV and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,811 in Charleston, WV versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,653 in Charleston, WV versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,496 in Charleston, WV versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Charleston, WV is roughly 44% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Charleston, WV is 36% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.84 $14.84

$11.99 MX$210

23.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.16 $49.16

$41.78 MX$733

17.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 $7.92

$10.75 MX$189

-26.33%

Cappuccino

$2.76 $2.76

$3.50 MX$61.3

-21.14%

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

$2.14 $2.14

$1.45 MX$25.41

47.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.88 MX$15.52

134.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.95 MX$51.7

-0.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.95 $5.95

$4.51 MX$79.1

31.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.43 MX$25.12

-42.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.84 MX$32.23

20.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.57 MX$27.51

8.28%

Eggs

$3.28 $3.28

$2.51 MX$44.06

30.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 $10.16

$8.28 MX$145

22.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.66 $9.66

$8.43 MX$148

14.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.58 $15.58

$10.68 MX$187

45.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$2.61 MX$45.76

72.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.44 MX$25.22

-28.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.96 MX$34.41

11.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.95 $4.95

$2.09 MX$36.74

136.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.85 MX$32.47

7.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.17 MX$38.02

27.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.03 MX$18.09

69.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.07 MX$18.84

-3.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.85 $5.85

$4.10 MX$72.0

42.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.99 $9.99

$10.17 MX$178

-1.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.68 MX$29.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$2.53 MX$44.31

-27.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 $1.47

$0.51 MX$8.93

188.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.9 $59.9

$26.04 MX$457

130.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.78 $3.78

$3.23 MX$56.7

17.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 $1.26

$2.41 MX$42.19

-47.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.92 $24.92

$3.23 MX$56.6

671.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.32 MX$23.17

-36.36%

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

$35.3K $35.3K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

18.87%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

7.84%

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

$122 $122

$82.0 MX$1,439

49.32%

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

$45.06 $45.06

$22.95 MX$403

96.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.6 $55.6

$30.11 MX$528

84.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.45 $31.45

$52.0 MX$912

-39.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

$18.53 MX$325

-9.61%

Cinema Ticket

$12.04 $12.04

$4.98 MX$87.3

141.77%

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

$1,542 $1,542

$197 MX$3,463

681.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K $17.2K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

223.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.84 $40.84

$35.60 MX$624

14.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.90 $39.90

$40.33 MX$707

-1.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 $89.2

$78.8 MX$1,381

13.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100.0 $100.0

$88.9 MX$1,560

12.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$924 $924

$947 MX$16.6K

-2.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$801 $801

$474 MX$8,314

69.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 $1,765

$1,644 MX$28.8K

7.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 $1,275

$1,211 MX$21.2K

5.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,136 $1,136

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-72.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,125 $1,125

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-82.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,534 $3,534

$654 MX$11.5K

440.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

11.42

-42.82%

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

Last update for Charleston, WV: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $924 in Charleston, WV and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Charleston, WV pays 440% 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: $49.00 in Charleston, WV vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $301 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

Charleston, WV vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 440% higher in Charleston, WV, 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: $924 in Charleston, WV versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Charleston, WV. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $49.00 in Charleston, WV. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,811 in Charleston, WV, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Charleston, WV. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Charleston, WV, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Charleston, WV and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Charleston, WV. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.