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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,465 in Lakewood, WA versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,761 in Lakewood, WA versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,056 in Lakewood, WA versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Lakewood, WA is roughly 90% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lakewood, WA is 84% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.19 $22.19

$11.73 MX$205

89.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 $120

$41.62 MX$727

187.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.41 $12.41

$10.64 MX$186

16.64%

Cappuccino

$6.22 $6.22

$3.52 MX$61.5

76.70%

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

$5.08 $5.08

$1.51 MX$26.37

236.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$0.97 MX$17.00

145.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.82 $8.82

$2.95 MX$51.5

198.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.09 $12.09

$4.45 MX$77.8

171.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.38 MX$24.16

-27.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.89 MX$33.04

-30.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$1.64 MX$28.59

72.56%

Eggs

$5.04 $5.04

$2.51 MX$43.76

100.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.08 $11.08

$8.34 MX$146

32.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.48 $15.48

$8.34 MX$146

85.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.36 $15.36

$10.73 MX$187

43.15%

Apples (1kg)

$5.00 $5.00

$2.60 MX$45.48

92.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.46 MX$25.45

4.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.90 MX$33.19

51.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.08 MX$36.26

78.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.78 MX$31.01

9.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.19 MX$38.16

-9.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.04 MX$18.16

142.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.08 MX$18.80

174.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.13 $9.13

$4.08 MX$71.3

123.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.77 $15.77

$10.32 MX$180

52.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.71 MX$29.90

22.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 $3.35

$2.58 MX$44.98

29.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.51 MX$8.90

296.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.26 MX$57.0

-22.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$2.49 MX$43.51

-35.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.96 $28.96

$3.25 MX$56.7

791.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.31 MX$22.83

-8.40%

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

$23.3K $23.3K

$30.3K MX$528.8K

-23.10%

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

$20.4K $20.4K

$23.4K MX$409.2K

-12.97%

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

$83.9 $83.9

$82.9 MX$1,447

1.22%

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

$52.0 $52.0

$22.22 MX$388

133.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.3 $54.3

$29.34 MX$512

85.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.41 $43.41

$51.6 MX$902

-15.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$13.67 $13.67

$5.07 MX$88.5

169.63%

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

$2,114 $2,114

$201 MX$3,507

952.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.6K $29.6K

$5,212 MX$91.0K

468.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.30 $27.30

$36.92 MX$645

-26.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.84 $37.84

$39.79 MX$695

-4.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 $86.3

$78.5 MX$1,370

10.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.7 $73.7

$87.1 MX$1,521

-15.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,599 $1,599

$973 MX$17.0K

64.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,332 $1,332

$468 MX$8,169

184.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,332 $2,332

$1,641 MX$28.7K

42.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,242 $2,242

$1,221 MX$21.3K

83.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,661 $2,661

$3,946 MX$68.9K

-32.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,383 $2,383

$6,498 MX$113.5K

-63.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.61

11.42

-42.12%

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

Last update for Lakewood, WA: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,599 in Lakewood, WA and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $120 in Lakewood, WA vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $380 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

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

Lakewood, WA and Playa del Carmen differ by about 90% in total monthly costs ($2,465 vs $1,297 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,698 in Lakewood, WA and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,599 in Lakewood, WA versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Lakewood, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,465 per month in Lakewood, WA versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 90% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,465 in Lakewood, WA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Lakewood, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lakewood, 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 90% less than in Lakewood, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.