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: $3,053 in Kingston, NY versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,490 in Kingston, NY versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,928 in Kingston, NY versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Kingston, NY is roughly 141% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kingston, NY is 123% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.25 $25.25

$11.60 MX$200

117.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.3 $79.3

$47.11 MX$812

68.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.89 $14.89

$11.88 MX$205

25.34%

Cappuccino

$6.47 $6.47

$3.98 MX$68.6

62.56%

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

$2.67 $2.67

$1.43 MX$24.60

86.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$0.82 MX$14.22

192.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.96 $7.96

$3.19 MX$55.0

149.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.79 $8.79

$6.79 MX$117

29.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.68 MX$28.89

-44.05%

White Bread (500g)

$4.62 $4.62

$2.20 MX$37.88

110.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.56 $6.56

$1.71 MX$29.45

283.63%

Eggs

$4.49 $4.49

$2.74 MX$47.26

63.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

$9.58 MX$165

66.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 $10.65

$9.01 MX$155

18.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.31 $17.31

$12.81 MX$221

35.13%

Apples (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$2.89 MX$49.81

64.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.50 MX$25.81

-12.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$2.15 MX$37.03

125.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.70 $6.70

$2.26 MX$38.96

196.46%

Potato (1kg)

$3.64 $3.64

$1.98 MX$34.15

83.84%

Onion (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$1.99 MX$34.30

68.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.23 MX$21.28

109.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.20 MX$20.63

59.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.69 $16.69

$4.55 MX$78.5

266.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.73 $14.73

$10.37 MX$179

42.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.62 MX$27.91

15.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 $3.63

$2.88 MX$49.67

26.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.09 $2.09

$0.60 MX$10.35

248.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.3 $64.3

$28.80 MX$497

123.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$5.39 MX$92.9

-45.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 $1.61

$3.73 MX$64.3

-56.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.31 $33.31

$5.77 MX$99.5

477.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.54 MX$26.48

-45.45%

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

$31.2K $31.2K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

38.57%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-1.66%

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

$196 $196

$91.4 MX$1,576

114.25%

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

$66.0 $66.0

$25.20 MX$435

161.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.7 $79.7

$31.24 MX$539

154.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.24 $43.24

$67.2 MX$1,159

-35.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$60.6 $60.6

$29.11 MX$502

108.04%

Cinema Ticket

$15.16 $15.16

$4.86 MX$83.8

211.93%

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

$2,453 $2,453

$224 MX$3,856

996.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

452.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.52 $49.52

$47.10 MX$812

5.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.11 $29.11

$44.29 MX$764

-34.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 $82.4

$80.1 MX$1,381

2.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.9 $76.9

$92.7 MX$1,598

-17.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,838 $1,838

$1,063 MX$18.3K

72.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,632 $1,632

$390 MX$6,728

318.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 $3,375

$2,149 MX$37.1K

57.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,660 $2,660

$1,272 MX$21.9K

109.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,101 $3,101

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-22.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,179 $3,179

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-51.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,113 $3,113

$758 MX$13.1K

310.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.86

11.45

-40.09%

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

Last update for Kingston, NY: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,838 in Kingston, NY and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kingston, NY pays 311% 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 Kingston, NY vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $434 vs $276 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. The 141% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 311% 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: $1,838 in Kingston, NY versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,053 per month in Kingston, NY versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 141% 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 123% less than in Kingston, NY. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,053 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 141% less than in Kingston, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.