Cost of Living Comparison Between Lacey, WA and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Lacey, WA and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,594 in Lacey, WA versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,823 in Lacey, WA versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,053 in Lacey, WA versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Lacey, WA is roughly 105% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lacey, WA is 90% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.53 $24.53

$11.60 MX$200

111.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 $68.7

$47.11 MX$812

45.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.12 $13.12

$11.88 MX$205

10.44%

Cappuccino

$6.08 $6.08

$3.98 MX$68.6

52.76%

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

$3.96 $3.96

$1.43 MX$24.60

176.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$0.82 MX$14.22

206.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.23 $8.23

$3.19 MX$55.0

157.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.03 $10.03

$6.79 MX$117

47.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.68 MX$28.89

-35.12%

White Bread (500g)

$4.44 $4.44

$2.20 MX$37.88

101.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.71 MX$29.45

62.57%

Eggs

$5.11 $5.11

$2.74 MX$47.26

86.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.85 $14.85

$9.58 MX$165

55.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.62 $10.62

$9.01 MX$155

17.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.95 $10.95

$12.81 MX$221

-14.52%

Apples (1kg)

$5.32 $5.32

$2.89 MX$49.81

84.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.50 MX$25.81

8.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$2.15 MX$37.03

86.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$2.26 MX$38.96

91.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.98 MX$34.15

18.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.99 MX$34.30

24.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.23 MX$21.28

87.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.20 MX$20.63

64.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.10 $12.10

$4.55 MX$78.5

165.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.14 $15.14

$10.37 MX$179

46.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.62 MX$27.91

28.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.88 MX$49.67

-16.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.60 MX$10.35

231.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 $5.13

$5.39 MX$92.9

-4.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.68 $2.68

$3.73 MX$64.3

-28.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$51.7 $51.7

$5.77 MX$99.5

795.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.54 MX$26.48

-14.94%

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

$36.3K $36.3K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

60.89%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-2.82%

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

$157 $157

$91.4 MX$1,576

71.34%

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

$53.1 $53.1

$25.20 MX$435

110.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$94.7 $94.7

$31.24 MX$539

203.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.53 $41.53

$67.2 MX$1,159

-38.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$12.68 $12.68

$4.86 MX$83.8

160.91%

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

$1,465 $1,465

$224 MX$3,856

554.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$49.2K $49.2K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

1063.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.74 $44.74

$47.10 MX$812

-5.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.76 $36.76

$44.29 MX$764

-17.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 $90.5

$80.1 MX$1,381

12.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 $100

$92.7 MX$1,598

7.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,611 $1,611

$1,063 MX$18.3K

51.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,321 $1,321

$390 MX$6,728

238.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

$2,149 MX$37.1K

17.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,160 $2,160

$1,272 MX$21.9K

69.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,702 $2,702

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-32.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,423 $2,423

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-62.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,164 $4,164

$758 MX$13.1K

449.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.03

11.45

-47.34%

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

Last update for Lacey, WA: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,611 in Lacey, WA and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lacey, WA pays 449% 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: $69.0 in Lacey, WA vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $382 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

Lacey, WA vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear. The 105% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 449% higher in Lacey, WA, 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: $1,611 in Lacey, WA versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,465 in Lacey, WA versus $224 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $69.0 in Lacey, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,594 in Lacey, WA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Lacey, WA. 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 Lacey, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lacey, WA and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 105% less than in Lacey, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.