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: $3,370 in Lakewood, WA versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,922 in Lakewood, WA versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,475 in Lakewood, WA versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Lakewood, WA is roughly 161% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lakewood, WA is 145% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.17 $18.17

$11.71 MX$198

55.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.0 $67.0

$46.59 MX$786

43.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.03 $11.03

$11.65 MX$197

-5.32%

Cappuccino

$4.95 $4.95

$4.09 MX$69.1

21.03%

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

$2.44 $2.44

$1.37 MX$23.20

78.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$0.83 MX$14.07

156.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.11 $4.11

$3.35 MX$56.6

22.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.17 $6.17

$6.91 MX$117

-10.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.73 MX$29.15

-26.01%

White Bread (500g)

$4.46 $4.46

$2.26 MX$38.15

97.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.77 MX$29.86

84.18%

Eggs

$4.93 $4.93

$2.73 MX$46.12

80.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.06 $15.06

$9.18 MX$155

64.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.75 $8.75

$8.92 MX$151

-1.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 $11.09

$12.60 MX$213

-11.98%

Apples (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$3.02 MX$51.0

42.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.57 MX$26.51

42.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$2.13 MX$35.88

79.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$2.26 MX$38.22

82.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.00 MX$33.82

12.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.06 MX$34.85

7.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.18 MX$19.91

73.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.20 MX$20.32

164.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.26 $12.26

$4.63 MX$78.2

164.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.97 $15.97

$10.69 MX$180

49.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.62 MX$27.33

5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.88 MX$48.63

15.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.57 MX$9.68

259.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$199 $199

$29.83 MX$503

567.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 $2.02

$5.45 MX$91.9

-62.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 $0.65

$3.70 MX$62.5

-82.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.50 $33.50

$5.98 MX$101

460.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.55 MX$26.22

-9.68%

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

$35.4K $35.4K

$22.3K MX$376.8K

58.51%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$25.9K MX$438.0K

-0.81%

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

$345 $345

$89.1 MX$1,504

287.57%

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

$61.8 $61.8

$25.04 MX$423

146.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.6 $82.6

$31.50 MX$532

162.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.55 $41.55

$67.8 MX$1,144

-38.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.54 $24.54

$28.92 MX$488

-15.15%

Cinema Ticket

$19.81 $19.81

$5.05 MX$85.2

292.28%

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

$1,982 $1,982

$225 MX$3,797

781.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.5K $26.5K

$4,222 MX$71.3K

527.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 $63.9

$47.44 MX$801

34.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 $37.81

$44.98 MX$759

-15.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$82.0 MX$1,384

22.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$92.1 MX$1,555

60.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,929 $1,929

$1,069 MX$18.0K

80.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,714 $1,714

$405 MX$6,842

322.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,348 $3,348

$1,935 MX$32.7K

72.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,102 $3,102

$1,301 MX$22.0K

138.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,376 $2,376

$3,995 MX$67.4K

-40.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,128 $2,128

$6,626 MX$111.8K

-67.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

11.45

-46.72%

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

Last update for Lakewood, WA: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,929 in Lakewood, WA and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $67.0 in Lakewood, WA vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $388 vs $277 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 161% in total monthly costs ($3,370 vs $1,293 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 $5,054 in Lakewood, WA and $1,940 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: $1,929 in Lakewood, WA versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $67.0 in Lakewood, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,370 per month in Lakewood, WA versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 161% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,370 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 161% less than in Lakewood, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.