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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,344 in Kent, WA versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,142 in Kent, WA versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,939 in Kent, WA versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Kent, WA is roughly 159% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kent, WA is 143% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.95 $19.95

$11.71 MX$199

70.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.1 $80.1

$46.59 MX$791

71.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.52 $13.52

$11.65 MX$198

16.05%

Cappuccino

$4.90 $4.90

$4.09 MX$69.5

19.80%

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

$2.67 $2.67

$1.37 MX$23.34

94.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$0.83 MX$14.16

155.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.09 $7.09

$3.35 MX$56.9

111.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.80 $7.80

$6.91 MX$117

12.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.73 MX$29.33

-31.79%

White Bread (500g)

$4.79 $4.79

$2.26 MX$38.39

111.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$1.77 MX$30.05

89.83%

Eggs

$6.87 $6.87

$2.73 MX$46.41

151.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.14 $15.14

$9.18 MX$156

64.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.06 $14.06

$8.92 MX$151

57.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.92 $22.92

$12.60 MX$214

81.90%

Apples (1kg)

$5.97 $5.97

$3.02 MX$51.3

97.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.57 MX$26.68

25.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 $3.92

$2.13 MX$36.10

84.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$2.26 MX$38.46

83.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.00 MX$34.04

41.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.06 MX$35.06

25.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.18 MX$20.04

66.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.20 MX$20.45

125.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.10 $12.10

$4.63 MX$78.7

161.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.95 $14.95

$10.69 MX$182

39.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.62 MX$27.50

35.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.88 MX$48.93

-28.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.25 $3.25

$0.57 MX$9.74

470.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.6 $62.6

$29.83 MX$507

109.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$5.45 MX$92.5

-53.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 $1.67

$3.70 MX$62.9

-54.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.48 $29.48

$5.98 MX$102

392.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.55 MX$26.38

-11.61%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

64.84%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

-1.57%

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

$295 $295

$89.1 MX$1,514

231.01%

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

$63.3 $63.3

$25.04 MX$425

152.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.7 $82.7

$31.50 MX$535

162.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.47 $33.47

$67.8 MX$1,151

-50.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.10 $17.10

$28.92 MX$491

-40.87%

Cinema Ticket

$17.67 $17.67

$5.05 MX$85.8

249.90%

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

$2,707 $2,707

$225 MX$3,820

1103.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

640.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.7 $69.7

$47.44 MX$806

46.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.5 $55.5

$44.98 MX$764

23.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$82.0 MX$1,392

23.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$92.1 MX$1,564

76.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,065 $2,065

$1,069 MX$18.2K

93.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,773 $1,773

$405 MX$6,884

337.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,953 $3,953

$1,935 MX$32.9K

104.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,527 $3,527

$1,301 MX$22.1K

171.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,020 $6,020

$3,995 MX$67.9K

50.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,870 $3,870

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-41.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,629 $4,629

$749 MX$12.7K

518.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

11.45

-43.93%

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

Last update for Kent, WA: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,065 in Kent, WA and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kent, WA pays 518% 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: $80.0 in Kent, WA vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $462 vs $277 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

Kent, WA vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 159% lower than in Kent, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 518% higher in Kent, WA, 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: $2,065 in Kent, WA versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $80.0 in Kent, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,344 per month in Kent, WA versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 159% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,344 in Kent, WA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Kent, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,293 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 159% less than in Kent, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.