Cost of Living Comparison Between Lexington, KY and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Lexington, KY and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,299 in Lexington, KY versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,366 in Lexington, KY versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,434 in Lexington, KY versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Lexington, KY is roughly 82% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lexington, KY is 73% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.78 $14.78

$11.72 MX$204

26.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.3 $69.3

$41.89 MX$731

65.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.16 $10.16

$10.51 MX$183

-3.33%

Cappuccino

$5.08 $5.08

$3.59 MX$62.5

41.50%

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

$2.22 $2.22

$1.51 MX$26.31

47.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$0.92 MX$15.96

96.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.86 $4.86

$2.96 MX$51.6

64.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 $7.90

$4.41 MX$76.9

79.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.40 MX$24.35

-45.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.88 MX$32.87

59.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$1.56 MX$27.19

192.95%

Eggs

$3.33 $3.33

$2.61 MX$45.50

27.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 $12.86

$8.32 MX$145

54.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.28 $11.28

$8.35 MX$146

35.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.39 $16.39

$10.86 MX$189

50.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$2.71 MX$47.31

68.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.51 MX$26.25

-13.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 $3.58

$1.87 MX$32.67

91.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.19 MX$38.19

104.11%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$1.86 MX$32.40

76.88%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.23 MX$38.90

42.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.07 MX$18.63

89.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.09 MX$18.94

71.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.77 $7.77

$4.19 MX$73.0

85.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.04 $13.04

$10.43 MX$182

25.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.66 MX$28.91

62.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.61 MX$45.56

24.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.54 MX$9.45

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.97 $29.97

$26.16 MX$456

14.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.07 $5.07

$3.08 MX$53.7

64.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.40 MX$41.94

-30.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.56 $29.56

$3.13 MX$54.5

844.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.31 MX$22.87

-38.93%

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

$22.9K $22.9K

$29.8K MX$519.9K

-23.11%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$23.3K MX$406.8K

10.34%

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

$210 $210

$81.3 MX$1,418

158.64%

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

$70.4 $70.4

$22.56 MX$393

211.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.4 $67.4

$30.05 MX$524

124.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.43 $34.43

$52.9 MX$923

-34.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.05 $30.05

$18.39 MX$321

63.40%

Cinema Ticket

$15.10 $15.10

$4.92 MX$85.8

206.91%

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

$1,153 $1,153

$201 MX$3,502

473.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.2K $25.2K

$5,175 MX$90.2K

386.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 $59.6

$35.92 MX$627

66.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.54 $34.54

$40.13 MX$700

-13.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$79.7 MX$1,390

31.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 $160

$86.5 MX$1,508

84.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,111 $1,111

$978 MX$17.1K

13.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,039 $1,039

$470 MX$8,206

120.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,121 $2,121

$1,651 MX$28.8K

28.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,725 $1,725

$1,203 MX$21.0K

43.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,085 $2,085

$3,953 MX$69.0K

-47.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,042 $2,042

$6,607 MX$115.2K

-69.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,058 $4,058

$677 MX$11.8K

499.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

11.42

-41.59%

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

Last update for Lexington, KY: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,111 in Lexington, KY and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lexington, KY pays 500% 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 Lexington, KY vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $374 vs $252 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

Lexington, KY vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 82% lower than in Lexington, KY. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 500% higher in Lexington, KY, 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: $1,111 in Lexington, KY versus $978 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 $42.00 versus $69.0 in Lexington, KY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,299 per month in Lexington, KY versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 82% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,299 in Lexington, KY, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Lexington, KY. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,260 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lexington, KY 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 82% less than in Lexington, KY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.