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: $3,347 in Kent, WA versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,089 in Kent, WA versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,832 in Kent, WA versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Kent, WA is roughly 166% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kent, WA is 151% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.36 $25.36

$11.99 MX$210

111.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.6 $78.6

$41.78 MX$733

88.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.76 $11.76

$10.75 MX$189

9.40%

Cappuccino

$5.73 $5.73

$3.50 MX$61.3

63.71%

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

$2.90 $2.90

$1.45 MX$25.41

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.88 MX$15.52

184.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 $7.11

$2.95 MX$51.7

141.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.12 $6.12

$4.51 MX$79.1

35.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.43 MX$25.12

-27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$1.84 MX$32.23

100.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 $4.12

$1.57 MX$27.51

162.42%

Eggs

$6.66 $6.66

$2.51 MX$44.06

165.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.35 $17.35

$8.28 MX$145

109.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.60 $10.60

$8.43 MX$148

25.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.67 $16.67

$10.68 MX$187

56.09%

Apples (1kg)

$6.15 $6.15

$2.61 MX$45.76

135.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.44 MX$25.22

11.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.96 MX$34.41

113.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.34 $5.34

$2.09 MX$36.74

155.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.00 $3.00

$1.85 MX$32.47

62.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.17 MX$38.02

22.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.03 MX$18.09

138.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.07 MX$18.84

149.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.44 $11.44

$4.10 MX$72.0

179.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$10.17 MX$178

47.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.68 MX$29.38

17.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 $4.30

$2.53 MX$44.31

69.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 $3.49

$0.51 MX$8.93

584.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.3 $64.3

$26.04 MX$457

146.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 $2.63

$3.23 MX$56.7

-18.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.41 MX$42.19

-31.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.97 $29.97

$3.23 MX$56.6

827.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.32 MX$23.17

-12.12%

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

$33.2K $33.2K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

11.76%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

8.50%

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

$261 $261

$82.0 MX$1,439

218.07%

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

$59.9 $59.9

$22.95 MX$403

161.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.4 $74.4

$30.11 MX$528

147.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.25 $48.25

$52.0 MX$912

-7.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$10.90 $10.90

$4.98 MX$87.3

118.88%

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

$1,449 $1,449

$197 MX$3,463

634.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.6K $29.6K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

455.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.3 $52.3

$35.60 MX$624

46.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.0 $53.0

$40.33 MX$707

31.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 $90.3

$78.8 MX$1,381

14.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.1 $99.1

$88.9 MX$1,560

11.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,069 $2,069

$947 MX$16.6K

118.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,826 $1,826

$474 MX$8,314

285.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,937 $3,937

$1,644 MX$28.8K

139.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,512 $3,512

$1,211 MX$21.2K

190.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,021 $6,021

$4,056 MX$71.1K

48.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,919 $3,919

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-39.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,692 $4,692

$654 MX$11.5K

617.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

11.42

-43.52%

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

Last update for Kent, WA: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,069 in Kent, WA and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kent, WA pays 618% 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: $79.0 in Kent, WA vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $434 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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 166% 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 618% 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: $2,069 in Kent, WA versus $947 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 $42.00 versus $79.0 in Kent, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,347 per month in Kent, WA versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 166% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,347 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 $1,256 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 166% less than in Kent, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.