Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,347 per month in Kingston vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,286 per month in Kingston vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,226 per month in Kingston vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kingston costs about 81% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Kingston sits 75% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.77 CA$23.33

$11.73 MX$203

42.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.6 CA$104

$41.62 MX$719

79.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.29 CA$15.70

$10.64 MX$184

6.11%

Cappuccino

$3.55 CA$4.94

$3.52 MX$60.8

0.85%

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

$1.88 CA$2.62

$1.51 MX$26.09

24.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 CA$1.98

$0.97 MX$16.82

46.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.78 CA$8.04

$2.95 MX$51.0

95.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.62 CA$9.20

$4.45 MX$77.0

48.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.57 CA$3.57

$1.38 MX$23.90

86.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 CA$3.55

$1.89 MX$32.69

34.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.64

$1.64 MX$28.29

147.56%

Eggs

$2.92 CA$4.06

$2.51 MX$43.30

16.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 CA$14.67

$8.34 MX$144

26.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.30 CA$15.71

$8.34 MX$144

35.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 CA$16.44

$10.73 MX$185

10.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 CA$5.06

$2.60 MX$45.00

40.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 CA$1.83

$1.46 MX$25.18

-10.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$1.90 MX$32.84

111.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 CA$6.62

$2.08 MX$35.88

128.85%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 CA$4.97

$1.78 MX$30.68

100.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 CA$3.20

$2.19 MX$37.76

5.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 CA$4.16

$1.04 MX$17.97

187.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 CA$2.34

$1.08 MX$18.60

55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.60 CA$18.91

$4.08 MX$70.5

233.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.50 CA$17.39

$10.32 MX$178

21.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 CA$3.16

$1.71 MX$29.59

32.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 CA$4.80

$2.58 MX$44.50

33.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.64 CA$3.67

$0.51 MX$8.81

417.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.0 CA$83.5

$26.46 MX$457

126.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 CA$4.49

$3.26 MX$56.4

-0.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 CA$2.11

$2.49 MX$43.05

-38.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.53 CA$46.63

$3.25 MX$56.1

931.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.53

$1.31 MX$22.59

-16.03%

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

$25.1K CA$34.9K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

-17.13%

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

$21.0K CA$29.3K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

-10.20%

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

$134 CA$186

$82.9 MX$1,432

61.26%

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

$43.78 CA$60.9

$22.22 MX$384

97.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.5 CA$109

$29.34 MX$507

167.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.93 CA$44.41

$51.6 MX$892

-38.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.31 CA$12.95

$18.32 MX$317

-49.18%

Cinema Ticket

$11.16 CA$15.51

$5.07 MX$87.5

120.12%

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

$434 CA$604

$201 MX$3,470

116.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.2K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

124.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.04 CA$64.0

$36.92 MX$638

24.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.14 CA$48.86

$39.79 MX$688

-11.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 CA$133

$78.5 MX$1,356

21.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 CA$131

$87.1 MX$1,505

8.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,278 CA$1,778

$973 MX$16.8K

31.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,146 CA$1,594

$468 MX$8,082

145.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,064 CA$2,870

$1,641 MX$28.4K

25.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,643 CA$2,285

$1,221 MX$21.1K

34.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,486 CA$4,848

$3,946 MX$68.2K

-11.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,498 CA$3,474

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-61.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,996 CA$4,167

$664 MX$11.5K

351.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

11.42

-41.42%

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

Last update for Kingston: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,278 in Kingston 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 351% higher in Kingston, 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 $75.0 in Kingston versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 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

Kingston vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,347 in Kingston, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 81% apart. Kingston costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,521 per month in Kingston 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,347 in Kingston and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 127% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Kingston at $2,347. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kingston it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,297 in Playa del Carmen to $2,347 in Kingston. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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