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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,952 in Kingston, NY versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,277 in Kingston, NY versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,601 in Kingston, NY versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Kingston, NY is roughly 135% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kingston, NY is 121% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.72 $17.72

$11.99 MX$210

47.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 $73.6

$41.78 MX$731

76.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.61 $11.61

$10.75 MX$188

8.00%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$3.50 MX$61.1

61.43%

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

$2.58 $2.58

$1.45 MX$25.33

77.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$0.88 MX$15.47

175.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.16 $8.16

$2.95 MX$51.6

176.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.41 $9.41

$4.51 MX$78.9

108.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.43 MX$25.04

-32.87%

White Bread (500g)

$4.27 $4.27

$1.84 MX$32.13

132.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.87 $6.87

$1.57 MX$27.42

337.58%

Eggs

$5.19 $5.19

$2.51 MX$43.92

106.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.51 $18.51

$8.28 MX$145

123.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.79 $11.79

$8.43 MX$147

39.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.53 $19.53

$10.68 MX$187

82.87%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$2.61 MX$45.62

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.44 MX$25.15

-12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$1.96 MX$34.31

137.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.41 $7.41

$2.09 MX$36.62

254.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.85 MX$32.37

55.14%

Onion (1kg)

$3.63 $3.63

$2.17 MX$37.90

67.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.03 MX$18.04

113.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.07 MX$18.78

94.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.86 $16.86

$4.10 MX$71.7

311.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.08 $13.08

$10.17 MX$178

28.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.68 MX$29.29

11.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 $3.59

$2.53 MX$44.17

41.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.51 MX$8.90

284.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.3 $64.3

$26.04 MX$455

147.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.23 MX$56.5

6.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$2.41 MX$42.06

-34.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 $29.01

$3.23 MX$56.5

798.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.32 MX$23.10

-31.06%

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

$31.9K $31.9K

$29.7K MX$519.2K

7.30%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$23.7K MX$413.7K

9.54%

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

$186 $186

$82.0 MX$1,434

126.57%

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

$66.9 $66.9

$22.95 MX$401

191.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.1 $79.1

$30.11 MX$527

162.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.97 $41.97

$52.0 MX$909

-19.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.98 $24.98

$18.53 MX$324

34.81%

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 $14.71

$4.98 MX$87.0

195.38%

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

$2,547 $2,547

$197 MX$3,452

1189.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$5,336 MX$93.3K

337.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.93 $42.93

$35.60 MX$622

20.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.63 $29.63

$40.33 MX$705

-26.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.9 $73.9

$78.8 MX$1,377

-6.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 $76.7

$88.9 MX$1,555

-13.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,869 $1,869

$947 MX$16.6K

97.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 $1,608

$474 MX$8,288

239.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,172 $3,172

$1,644 MX$28.7K

92.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,652 $2,652

$1,211 MX$21.2K

119.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,127 $3,127

$4,056 MX$70.9K

-22.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-51.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,130 $3,130

$654 MX$11.4K

378.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.08

11.42

-38.00%

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

Last update for Kingston, NY: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,869 in Kingston, NY and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kingston, NY pays 379% 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: $74.0 in Kingston, NY vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $455 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 135% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 379% higher in Kingston, NY, 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: $1,869 in Kingston, NY versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,952 per month in Kingston, NY versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 135% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 147% less than in Kingston, NY. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,952 in Kingston, NY, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Kingston, NY. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Kingston, NY, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 135% less than in Kingston, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.