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 $2,286 per month in Kingston vs $1,262 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,230 per month in Kingston vs $2,158 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,173 per month in Kingston vs $3,054 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

Kingston sits 70% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.72 CA$22.91

$11.61 MX$201

44.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.2 CA$102

$42.75 MX$742

73.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.28 CA$15.46

$10.60 MX$184

6.42%

Cappuccino

$3.69 CA$5.06

$3.59 MX$62.3

2.79%

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

$1.90 CA$2.60

$1.45 MX$25.21

31.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$1.97

$0.90 MX$15.58

60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.04 CA$8.28

$3.03 MX$52.6

99.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 CA$8.83

$4.56 MX$79.2

41.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.58 CA$3.53

$1.45 MX$25.20

77.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 CA$3.47

$1.83 MX$31.72

38.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.17 CA$5.71

$1.61 MX$27.92

159.01%

Eggs

$2.91 CA$3.99

$2.54 MX$44.05

14.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.68 CA$14.63

$8.54 MX$148

25.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.42 CA$15.64

$8.47 MX$147

34.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.41 CA$15.63

$10.86 MX$189

5.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 CA$4.87

$2.73 MX$47.37

30.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 CA$1.80

$1.49 MX$25.91

-11.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.50

$1.94 MX$33.73

106.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.86 CA$6.66

$2.16 MX$37.57

125.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.85

$1.85 MX$32.05

91.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 CA$3.30

$2.19 MX$38.00

10.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.97 CA$4.07

$1.07 MX$18.62

177.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 CA$2.22

$1.08 MX$18.81

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.87 CA$19.00

$4.06 MX$70.5

241.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.45 CA$17.06

$10.46 MX$182

19.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 CA$3.13

$1.65 MX$28.71

38.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 CA$4.53

$2.55 MX$44.23

29.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.52 CA$3.46

$0.56 MX$9.65

350.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.0 CA$79.5

$26.20 MX$455

121.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 CA$4.48

$3.14 MX$54.5

4.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 CA$2.16

$2.37 MX$41.17

-33.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.56 CA$44.60

$3.24 MX$56.2

904.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 CA$1.49

$1.31 MX$22.81

-17.56%

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

$24.6K CA$33.7K

$30.5K MX$530.2K

-19.39%

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

$21.4K CA$29.3K

$23.8K MX$413.6K

-10.35%

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

$130 CA$178

$83.1 MX$1,443

56.13%

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

$44.36 CA$60.8

$22.15 MX$385

100.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.7 CA$108

$29.37 MX$510

168.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.36 CA$44.33

$51.2 MX$889

-36.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.29 CA$12.73

$18.69 MX$324

-50.29%

Cinema Ticket

$11.18 CA$15.32

$4.89 MX$84.9

128.63%

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

$446 CA$611

$199 MX$3,449

124.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.0K

$5,207 MX$90.4K

124.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.10 CA$63.2

$35.93 MX$624

28.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.95 CA$49.25

$39.39 MX$684

-8.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 CA$130

$80.3 MX$1,394

18.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.3 CA$126

$87.6 MX$1,520

5.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 CA$1,766

$963 MX$16.7K

33.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,189 CA$1,630

$482 MX$8,370

146.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,130 CA$2,918

$1,645 MX$28.6K

29.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,679 CA$2,301

$1,192 MX$20.7K

40.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,450 CA$4,726

$3,957 MX$68.7K

-12.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,513 CA$3,443

$6,513 MX$113.1K

-61.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,086 CA$4,228

$726 MX$12.6K

324.86%

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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,289 in Kingston versus $963 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 325% 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 $74 in Kingston versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $253 – 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: $2,286 in Kingston, $1,262 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 $3,429 per month in Kingston and $1,894 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 $2,286 in Kingston and $1,262 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 122% 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 $1,262, than in Kingston at $2,286. 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 $1,262 in Playa del Carmen to $2,286 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.