Cost of Living Comparison Between Kansas City, KS and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Kansas City, KS and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,673 per month in Kansas City, KS vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,965 per month in Kansas City, KS vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,258 per month in Kansas City, KS vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kansas City, KS costs about 106% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Kansas City, KS sits 99% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.01 $20.01

$11.73 MX$205

70.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.8 $63.8

$41.62 MX$727

53.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.16 $12.16

$10.64 MX$186

14.29%

Cappuccino

$5.20 $5.20

$3.52 MX$61.4

47.73%

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

$2.42 $2.42

$1.51 MX$26.37

60.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$0.97 MX$17.00

98.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.93 $4.93

$2.95 MX$51.5

67.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 $6.94

$4.45 MX$77.8

55.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.38 MX$24.16

-27.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.89 MX$33.03

83.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.05 $5.05

$1.64 MX$28.59

207.93%

Eggs

$4.60 $4.60

$2.51 MX$43.76

83.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.94 $10.94

$8.34 MX$146

31.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.93 $10.93

$8.34 MX$146

31.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.72 $12.72

$10.73 MX$187

18.55%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$2.60 MX$45.47

100.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.46 MX$25.45

39.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$1.90 MX$33.19

236.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.82 $5.82

$2.08 MX$36.26

179.81%

Potato (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$1.78 MX$31.01

137.64%

Onion (1kg)

$3.59 $3.59

$2.19 MX$38.16

63.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.04 MX$18.16

116.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.08 MX$18.80

115.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.77 $9.77

$4.08 MX$71.3

139.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.01 $17.01

$10.32 MX$180

64.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.71 MX$29.90

4.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.22 $5.22

$2.58 MX$44.97

102.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 $1.48

$0.51 MX$8.90

190.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.0 $54.0

$26.46 MX$462

103.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 $4.91

$3.26 MX$57.0

50.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 $1.56

$2.49 MX$43.50

-37.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.62 $40.62

$3.25 MX$56.7

1149.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.31 MX$22.83

-37.40%

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

$30.3K $30.3K

$30.3K MX$528.8K

-0.07%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$23.4K MX$409.2K

9.72%

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

$192 $192

$82.9 MX$1,447

131.50%

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

$53.7 $53.7

$22.22 MX$388

141.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.3 $53.3

$29.34 MX$512

81.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$115 $115

$51.6 MX$902

122.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$65.4 $65.4

$18.32 MX$320

256.71%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 $15.05

$5.07 MX$88.5

196.84%

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

$1,056 $1,056

$201 MX$3,507

425.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.5K $28.5K

$5,212 MX$91.0K

447.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.49 $48.49

$36.92 MX$645

31.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 $35.24

$39.79 MX$695

-11.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 $89.7

$78.5 MX$1,370

14.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 $124

$87.1 MX$1,521

42.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 $1,380

$973 MX$17.0K

41.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 $1,293

$468 MX$8,168

176.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,377 $3,377

$1,641 MX$28.7K

105.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,138 $2,138

$1,221 MX$21.3K

75.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,211 $2,211

$3,946 MX$68.9K

-43.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,195 $2,195

$6,498 MX$113.5K

-66.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,197 $3,197

$664 MX$11.6K

381.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

11.42

-42.73%

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

Last update for Kansas City, KS: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,380 in Kansas City, KS versus $973 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 382% higher in Kansas City, KS, 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 $64.0 in Kansas City, KS versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $412 vs $249 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Kansas City, KS vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kansas City, KS costs about 106% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,009 per month in Kansas City, KS and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Kindergarten costs $1,056 per month in Kansas City, KS and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 65% more in Kansas City, KS, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Kansas City, KS at $2,673. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kansas City, KS it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,297 versus $2,673 in Kansas City, KS. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kansas City, KS makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.