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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,582 in Lexington, MA versus $1,325 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,496 in Lexington, MA versus $2,355 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,409 in Lexington, MA versus $3,384 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Lexington, MA is roughly 95% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lexington, MA is 90% above, Playa del Carmen is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.26 $20.26

$12.87 MX$220

57.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.1 $75.1

$47.29 MX$807

58.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.24 $16.24

$12.79 MX$218

26.97%

Cappuccino

$4.91 $4.91

$3.96 MX$67.5

23.99%

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

$2.75 $2.75

$1.43 MX$24.36

92.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.83 MX$14.09

138.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.97 $6.97

$3.03 MX$51.7

130.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.14 $8.14

$6.96 MX$119

16.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.69 MX$28.87

-37.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.96 $3.96

$2.13 MX$36.34

85.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$1.69 MX$28.79

131.36%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.76 MX$47.06

71.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.63 $11.63

$9.19 MX$157

26.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.28 $10.28

$9.03 MX$154

13.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.80 $14.80

$12.39 MX$211

19.45%

Apples (1kg)

$4.82 $4.82

$3.09 MX$52.7

55.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.55 MX$26.37

19.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.25 $4.25

$2.14 MX$36.57

98.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$2.20 MX$37.59

102.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.05 MX$34.99

33.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.03 MX$34.67

43.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.22 MX$20.84

70.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$1.14 MX$19.40

111.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.46 $10.46

$4.62 MX$78.8

126.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.21 $14.21

$10.60 MX$181

34.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.64 MX$27.97

21.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 $3.90

$2.94 MX$50.1

32.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.14 $2.14

$0.61 MX$10.33

250.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.50 MX$503

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 $2.96

$5.31 MX$90.5

-44.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 $1.92

$3.73 MX$63.6

-48.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.55 $27.55

$5.79 MX$98.7

375.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.58 MX$26.88

-37.97%

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

$39.1K $39.1K

$22.4K MX$382.6K

74.15%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$25.4K MX$433.3K

0.99%

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

$198 $198

$90.7 MX$1,546

118.57%

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

$58.6 $58.6

$23.03 MX$393

154.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.5 $69.5

$31.71 MX$541

119.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.02 $41.02

$67.1 MX$1,145

-38.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.14 MX$497

Cinema Ticket

$13.92 $13.92

$5.05 MX$86.2

175.64%

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

$1,433 $1,433

$222 MX$3,779

546.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$4,223 MX$72.0K

456.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 $56.8

$45.56 MX$777

24.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.51 $44.51

$44.06 MX$752

1.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 $89.9

$96.3 MX$1,643

-6.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$93.3 MX$1,591

12.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,513 $1,513

$1,074 MX$18.3K

40.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 $1,342

$402 MX$6,861

233.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,347 $2,347

$1,908 MX$32.5K

23.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,532 $3,532

$1,259 MX$21.5K

180.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,764 $2,764

$4,093 MX$69.8K

-32.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,402 $2,402

$6,594 MX$112.5K

-63.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$753 MX$12.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.12

11.6

-47.24%

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

Last update for Lexington, MA: August 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,513 in Lexington, MA and $1,074 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $75.0 in Lexington, MA vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 vs $274 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, MA vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lexington, MA and Playa del Carmen differ by about 95% in total monthly costs ($2,582 vs $1,325 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 $3,873 in Lexington, MA and $1,988 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: $1,513 in Lexington, MA versus $1,074 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Lexington, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,582 per month in Lexington, MA versus $1,325 in Playa del Carmen – a 95% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,325 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,582 in Lexington, MA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Lexington, MA. 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, Lexington, MA 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 95% less than in Lexington, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.