Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Overland Park, KS and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,691 in Overland Park, KS, rent and utilities included – about $17,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Overland Park, KS, United States
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Overland Park, KS
🇺🇸 United States
$2,691
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Overland Park, KS and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Overland Park, KS and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,691 in Overland Park, KS versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Overland Park, KS $2,691
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,858 in Overland Park, KS versus $2,082 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Overland Park, KS $3,858
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,025 in Overland Park, KS versus $2,959 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Overland Park, KS $5,025
  • Playa del Carmen $2,959

Living in Overland Park, KS is roughly 123% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Overland Park, KS is 98% above, Playa del Carmen is 12% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Overland Park, KS
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.72 $22.72
$10.92 MX$203
108.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$81.4 $81.4
$43.37 MX$805
87.64%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.18 $11.18
$11.78 MX$219
-5.09%
Cappuccino
$5.91 $5.91
$3.81 MX$70.7
55.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 $2.79
$1.28 MX$23.81
117.97%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02 $2.02
$0.78 MX$14.54
158.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.67 $6.67
$3.17 MX$58.8
110.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.53 $7.53
$4.93 MX$91.7
52.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Overland Park, KS
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.98 $0.98
$1.41 MX$26.12
-30.50%
White Bread (500g)
$2.80 $2.80
$2.22 MX$41.17
26.13%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.59 $4.59
$1.42 MX$26.32
223.24%
Eggs
$3.59 $3.59
$2.52 MX$46.85
42.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.15 $11.15
$7.26 MX$135
53.58%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.80 $8.80
$7.70 MX$143
14.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.56 $13.56
$12.69 MX$236
6.86%
Apples (1kg)
$4.32 $4.32
$2.78 MX$51.7
55.40%
Banana (1kg)
$1.25 $1.25
$1.37 MX$25.41
-8.76%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.51 $3.51
$2.55 MX$47.37
37.65%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.71 $5.71
$2.12 MX$39.43
169.34%
Potato (1kg)
$3.20 $3.20
$1.94 MX$36.00
64.95%
Onion (1kg)
$2.57 $2.57
$1.89 MX$35.02
35.98%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.84 $1.84
$1.15 MX$21.29
60.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.08 $2.08
$1.18 MX$21.89
76.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.23 $8.23
$4.30 MX$79.8
91.40%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.70 $13.70
$9.95 MX$185
37.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86 $1.86
$1.58 MX$29.41
17.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.98 $3.98
$2.67 MX$49.60
49.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Overland Park, KS
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.03 $2.03
$0.55 MX$10.28
269.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$31.62 $31.62
$26.62 MX$494
18.78%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.01 $3.01
$4.97 MX$92.3
-39.44%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.27 $1.27
$3.33 MX$61.9
-61.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.36 $35.36
$5.36 MX$99.5
559.70%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.01 $1.01
$1.44 MX$26.82
-29.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.3K $28.3K
$20.7K MX$383.8K
36.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.3K $27.3K
$23.5K MX$435.8K
16.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Overland Park, KS
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$262 $262
$84.8 MX$1,575
209.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$61.4 $61.4
$23.41 MX$435
162.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$47.22 $47.22
$28.66 MX$532
64.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Overland Park, KS
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.83 $43.83
$57.1 MX$1,059
-23.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$55.1 $55.1
$28.91 MX$537
90.70%
Cinema Ticket
$12.37 $12.37
$5.14 MX$95.4
140.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Overland Park, KS
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,149 $1,149
$207 MX$3,836
456.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.8K $20.8K
$3,927 MX$72.9K
428.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Overland Park, KS
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.3 $51.3
$43.35 MX$805
18.41%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.58 $43.58
$41.44 MX$770
5.16%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.3 $99.3
$74.2 MX$1,378
33.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 $131
$89.3 MX$1,657
46.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Overland Park, KS
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,498 $1,498
$980 MX$18.2K
52.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,350 $1,350
$381 MX$7,072
254.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,715 $2,715
$1,708 MX$31.7K
58.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,047 $2,047
$1,075 MX$20.0K
90.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,055 $3,055
$3,943 MX$73.2K
-22.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,131 $2,131
$6,158 MX$114.4K
-65.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Overland Park, KS
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,255 $5,255
$735 MX$13.6K
615.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.48
11.45
-43.41%

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

Last update for Overland Park, KS: October 24, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Overland Park, KS
$1.4K
Playa del Carmen
$381 71.8% $969
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Overland Park, KS
$371
Playa del Carmen
$137 63.1% $234
Eating Out
Overland Park, KS
$354
Playa del Carmen
$202 42.8% $152
Groceries & Markets
Overland Park, KS
$352
Playa del Carmen
$255 27.6% $97
Clothing & Footwear
Overland Park, KS
$146
Playa del Carmen
$112 23.6% $34
Sport & Entertainment
Overland Park, KS
$69
Playa del Carmen
$67 1.8% $1.3
Getting Around
Overland Park, KS
$49
Playa del Carmen
$50 2.7% $1.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,498 in Overland Park, KS and $980 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Overland Park, KS pays about 7.2 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $81 in Overland Park, KS vs $43 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $255 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Overland Park, KS
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
21:56 9:56 PM
22:56 10:56 PM
1 h ahead of Overland Park, KS
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
188,966
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 18.57 MXN (100 MXN = 5.38 USD). 1 EUR = 20.81 MXN (100 MXN = 4.8 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Overland Park, KS Playa del Carmen 2,170 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Overland Park, KS
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Overland Park, KS vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Overland Park, KS?
Playa del Carmen is about 55% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Overland Park, KS or Playa del Carmen?
Average pay in Overland Park, KS is about 7.2 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Overland Park, KS and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,498 in Overland Park, KS versus $980 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 16% less than in Overland Park, KS. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,149 in Overland Park, KS versus $207 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Overland Park, KS or in Playa del Carmen?
At $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,691 in Overland Park, KS, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Overland Park, KS. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Overland Park, KS or in Playa del Carmen?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Overland Park, KS. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Overland Park, KS vs other spots: cost of living compared

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