Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Key West, FL and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,210 a month against $4,808 in Key West, FL, rent and utilities included – about $43,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

233

Cost of Living Index in Key West, FL
Learn more

Key West, FL Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
Learn more

Playa del Carmen Living Index

Jump to prices

Key West, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$4,808

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,210

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Key West, FL 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 Key West, FL and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,808 per month in Key West, FL vs $1,210 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Key West, FL $4,808
Playa del Carmen $1,210

A couple spends around $7,043 per month in Key West, FL vs $2,113 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Key West, FL $7,043
Playa del Carmen $2,113

A family of three spends $9,278 per month in Key West, FL vs $3,016 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Key West, FL $9,278
Playa del Carmen $3,016

Key West, FL costs about 297% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Key West, FL sits 256% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.31 $22.31

$10.76 MX$199

107.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.3 $98.3

$43.03 MX$795

128.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.87 $11.87

$11.79 MX$218

0.68%

Cappuccino

$4.56 $4.56

$3.87 MX$71.4

17.83%

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

$2.26 $2.26

$1.37 MX$25.29

64.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$0.84 MX$15.44

126.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 $5.85

$3.10 MX$57.3

88.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 $6.84

$5.07 MX$93.6

34.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.44 MX$26.55

-31.25%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 $3.68

$2.23 MX$41.23

65.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$1.47 MX$27.17

358.50%

Eggs

$5.16 $5.16

$2.53 MX$46.71

103.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.61 $11.61

$7.30 MX$135

59.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.34 $13.34

$7.86 MX$145

69.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.97 $23.97

$12.79 MX$236

87.41%

Apples (1kg)

$4.81 $4.81

$2.90 MX$53.6

65.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.44 MX$26.53

29.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$2.55 MX$47.07

43.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.17 $5.17

$2.06 MX$38.03

150.97%

Potato (1kg)

$5.93 $5.93

$2.00 MX$36.97

196.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.01 MX$37.07

65.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.60 $3.60

$1.19 MX$22.02

202.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 $2.65

$1.26 MX$23.23

110.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.18 $8.18

$4.40 MX$81.4

85.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 $14.18

$9.59 MX$177

47.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.59 MX$29.41

25.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.81 MX$51.9

-15.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.98 $3.98

$0.57 MX$10.47

598.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.82 MX$514

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 $3.90

$4.98 MX$92.1

-21.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.12 $3.12

$3.50 MX$64.6

-10.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.20 $30.20

$5.40 MX$99.8

459.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.47 MX$27.08

-38.10%

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

$36.5K $36.5K

$21.0K MX$387.8K

73.85%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$23.9K MX$441.8K

8.10%

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

$215 $215

$84.2 MX$1,556

155.47%

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

$54.4 $54.4

$23.99 MX$443

126.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.3 $73.3

$29.02 MX$536

152.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 $79.6

$63.0 MX$1,164

26.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.14 MX$539

Cinema Ticket

$14.05 $14.05

$4.94 MX$91.3

184.41%

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

$1,090 $1,090

$204 MX$3,763

435.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.7K $20.7K

$3,941 MX$72.8K

425.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.58 $47.58

$43.60 MX$806

9.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.78 $41.78

$43.12 MX$797

-3.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 $71.7

$75.8 MX$1,400

-5.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.1 $69.1

$88.6 MX$1,637

-21.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,436 $3,436

$1,008 MX$18.6K

240.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,432 $3,432

$374 MX$6,911

817.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$7,122 $7,122

$1,708 MX$31.6K

316.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$6,144 $6,144

$1,106 MX$20.4K

455.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,644 $9,644

$3,944 MX$72.9K

144.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,886 $9,886

$6,169 MX$114.0K

60.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,967 $5,967

$754 MX$13.9K

691.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.38

11.45

-44.28%

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

Last update for Key West, FL: October 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Key West, FL

$3.4K 71.4%

Playa del Carmen

$374 30.9% 89.1% $3.1K

Groceries & Markets

Key West, FL

$457 9.5%

Playa del Carmen

$258 21.4% 43.5% $199

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Key West, FL

$343 7.1%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.3% 60% $206

Eating Out

Key West, FL

$328 6.8%

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.7% 38.4% $126

Sport & Entertainment

Key West, FL

$108 2.2%

Playa del Carmen

$73 6% 32.3% $35

Clothing & Footwear

Key West, FL

$104 2.2%

Playa del Carmen

$113 9.3% 9.1% $9.4

Getting Around

Key West, FL

$35 * 0.7%

Playa del Carmen

$53 4.3% 48.3% $17

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,436 in Key West, FL versus $1,008 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 691% higher in Key West, FL, 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 $98.0 in Key West, FL versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $457 vs $258 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Key West, FL

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

18:05 6:05 PM

17:05 5:05 PM

1 h behind Key West, FL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

24,684

149,923

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

MXN to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Key West, FL Playa del Carmen 700 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Key West, FL
Playa del Carmen

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

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

Key West, FL vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Key West, FL is pricier by about 297%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,211 per month in Key West, FL and $1,816 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Key West, FL and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 77% more in Key West, FL, 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 $1,210, than in Key West, FL at $4,808. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Key West, FL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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