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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,298 per month in Kingstown vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,077 per month in Kingstown vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,857 per month in Kingstown vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kingstown costs about 3% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kingstown and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Kingstown 3% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.56 EC$20.42

$11.99 MX$210

-36.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.1 EC$192

$41.78 MX$733

70.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 EC$29.93

$10.75 MX$189

3.16%

Cappuccino

$3.25 EC$8.79

$3.50 MX$61.3

-7.14%

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

$2.09 EC$5.63

$1.45 MX$25.41

44.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 EC$5.57

$0.88 MX$15.52

134.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 EC$5.14

$2.95 MX$51.7

-35.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 EC$5.85

$4.51 MX$79.1

-51.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.16 EC$8.53

$1.43 MX$25.12

120.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 EC$5.36

$1.84 MX$32.23

8.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 EC$4.45

$1.57 MX$27.51

5.10%

Eggs

$4.67 EC$12.61

$2.51 MX$44.06

86.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.41 EC$30.80

$8.28 MX$145

37.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 EC$12.73

$8.43 MX$148

-44.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.33 EC$33.29

$10.68 MX$187

15.45%

Apples (1kg)

$8.73 EC$23.56

$2.61 MX$45.76

234.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.80 EC$7.57

$1.44 MX$25.22

94.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.64 EC$23.34

$1.96 MX$34.41

340.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.31 EC$14.34

$2.09 MX$36.74

154.07%

Potato (1kg)

$3.95 EC$10.67

$1.85 MX$32.47

113.51%

Onion (1kg)

$3.23 EC$8.72

$2.17 MX$38.02

48.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.15 EC$11.21

$1.03 MX$18.09

302.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 EC$8.03

$1.07 MX$18.84

177.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 EC$10.80

$4.10 MX$72.0

-2.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.70 EC$45.09

$10.17 MX$178

64.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 EC$6.06

$1.68 MX$29.38

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 EC$6.21

$2.53 MX$44.31

-9.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 EC$3.15

$0.51 MX$8.93

129.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.5 EC$136

$26.04 MX$457

93.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$11.02 EC$29.74

$3.23 MX$56.7

241.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 EC$5.09

$2.41 MX$42.19

-21.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.74 EC$80.3

$3.23 MX$56.6

820.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.10 EC$8.37

$1.32 MX$23.17

134.85%

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

$38.2K EC$103.2K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

28.70%

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

$30.9K EC$83.5K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

30.69%

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

$74.8 EC$202

$82.0 MX$1,439

-8.74%

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

$28.13 EC$75.9

$22.95 MX$403

22.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.9 EC$151

$30.11 MX$528

85.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.99 EC$86.4

$52.0 MX$912

-38.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.62 EC$12.46

$18.53 MX$325

-75.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 EC$12.69

$4.98 MX$87.3

-5.62%

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

$121 EC$327

$197 MX$3,463

-38.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.6 EC$220

$35.60 MX$624

129.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.1 EC$181

$40.33 MX$707

66.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 EC$252

$78.8 MX$1,381

18.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.3 EC$230

$88.9 MX$1,560

-4.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$330 EC$891

$947 MX$16.6K

-65.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$318 EC$857

$474 MX$8,314

-33.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$549 EC$1,483

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-66.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 EC$1,285

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-60.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$587 EC$1,584

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-85.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$605 EC$1,635

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-90.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,042 EC$2,814

$654 MX$11.5K

59.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

11.42

-34.33%

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

Last update for Kingstown: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $330 in Kingstown versus $947 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 59% higher in Kingstown, 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 $71.0 in Kingstown versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $413 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

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

Yes – Kingstown is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,947 per month in Kingstown and $1,884 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.

Public transport costs about 94% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $121 per month in Kingstown and $197 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Kingstown at $1,298. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kingstown 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, Kingstown makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.