Cost of Living Comparison Between Lewiston, ID and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Lewiston, ID and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,542 in Lewiston, ID versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,768 in Lewiston, ID versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,995 in Lewiston, ID versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Lewiston, ID is roughly 98% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lewiston, ID is 90% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.67 $18.67

$11.94 MX$208

56.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.5 $74.5

$42.75 MX$744

74.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 $10.91

$10.59 MX$184

3.02%

Cappuccino

$5.18 $5.18

$3.62 MX$63.0

43.09%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$1.47 MX$25.54

69.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.94 MX$16.41

115.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 $6.13

$3.09 MX$53.8

98.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.08 $7.08

$4.46 MX$77.6

58.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.43 MX$24.80

-26.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.57 $3.57

$1.88 MX$32.79

89.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.63 MX$28.34

168.71%

Eggs

$4.33 $4.33

$2.64 MX$45.99

64.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.22 $12.22

$8.21 MX$143

48.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.43 $11.43

$8.29 MX$144

37.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 $15.52

$11.10 MX$193

39.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$2.65 MX$46.14

80.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.50 MX$26.11

6.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$1.99 MX$34.59

116.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 $4.68

$2.08 MX$36.13

125.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.79 MX$31.11

63.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.18 MX$37.87

32.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.08 MX$18.73

92.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.04 MX$18.04

100.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.61 $9.61

$3.97 MX$69.1

142.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.66 $13.66

$10.20 MX$178

33.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.73 MX$30.04

2.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 $3.27

$2.50 MX$43.46

30.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.52 MX$9.02

282.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 $3.46

$3.14 MX$54.7

10.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$2.40 MX$41.80

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.65 $28.65

$3.09 MX$53.7

827.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.27 MX$22.16

-29.92%

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

$29.1K $29.1K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-5.74%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

11.41%

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

$186 $186

$82.0 MX$1,427

126.63%

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

$53.0 $53.0

$22.45 MX$391

136.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.3 $67.3

$29.66 MX$516

126.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.16 $42.16

$51.9 MX$903

-18.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$13.34 $13.34

$4.97 MX$86.5

168.41%

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

$1,322 $1,322

$198 MX$3,442

568.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

350.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

$36.34 MX$632

42.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.67 $39.67

$40.05 MX$697

-0.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 $86.9

$79.9 MX$1,390

8.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$88.9 MX$1,547

24.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 $1,575

$963 MX$16.8K

63.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,363 $1,363

$465 MX$8,086

193.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,640 $2,640

$1,596 MX$27.8K

65.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,231 $2,231

$1,209 MX$21.0K

84.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,648 $2,648

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-32.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,328 $2,328

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-63.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,595 $2,595

$720 MX$12.5K

260.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

11.42

-42.99%

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

Last update for Lewiston, ID: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,575 in Lewiston, ID and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lewiston, ID pays 260% 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: $75.0 in Lewiston, ID vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $386 vs $251 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

Lewiston, ID vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lewiston, ID and Playa del Carmen differ by about 98% in total monthly costs ($2,542 vs $1,287 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lewiston, ID pays 260% more on average, 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: $1,575 in Lewiston, ID versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 54% higher in Lewiston, ID. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,542 per month in Lewiston, ID versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 98% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,542 in Lewiston, ID, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Lewiston, ID. 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.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 98% less than in Lewiston, ID. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.