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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,627 in Arlington, KY.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,913 in Arlington, KY.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,199 in Arlington, KY.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 51% less than in Arlington, KY, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Arlington, KY is 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$18.10 $18.10

-35.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$786

$77.5 $77.5

-39.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$11.98 $11.98

-2.75%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.1

$5.05 $5.05

-19.01%

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

$1.37 MX$23.20

$2.38 $2.38

-42.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.07

$1.75 $1.75

-52.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.6

$5.83 $5.83

-42.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$6.96 $6.96

-0.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.15

$0.72 $0.72

140.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.15

$3.76 $3.76

-39.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.86

$5.63 $5.63

-68.56%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.12

$4.00 $4.00

-31.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$13.48 $13.48

-31.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$15.35 $15.35

-41.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$20.51 $20.51

-38.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.0

$8.22 $8.22

-63.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.51

$2.14 $2.14

-26.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.88

$4.72 $4.72

-54.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.22

$5.31 $5.31

-57.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.82

$2.01 $2.01

-0.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.85

$2.15 $2.15

-4.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.91

$2.77 $2.77

-57.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.32

$1.48 $1.48

-18.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.2

$7.86 $7.86

-41.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$180

$14.96 $14.96

-28.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.33

$2.84 $2.84

-42.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.63

$3.36 $3.36

-14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.68

$1.86 $1.86

-69.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$503

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$91.9

$3.60 $3.60

51.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.5

$1.52 $1.52

143.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$40.56 $40.56

-85.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.22

$0.95 $0.95

63.16%

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

$22.3K MX$376.8K

$35.6K $35.6K

-37.24%

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

$25.9K MX$438.0K

$25.3K $25.3K

2.49%

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

$89.1 MX$1,504

$241 $241

-62.99%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$68.5 $68.5

-63.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$75.9 $75.9

-58.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,144

$47.07 $47.07

44.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.2

$14.19 $14.19

-64.41%

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

$225 MX$3,797

$1,420 $1,420

-84.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.3K

$23.9K $23.9K

-82.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$801

$58.9 $58.9

-19.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$759

$43.89 $43.89

2.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,384

$88.5 $88.5

-7.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,555

$118 $118

-21.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.0K

$1,560 $1,560

-31.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,842

$1,284 $1,284

-68.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$2,506 $2,506

-22.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$2,114 $2,114

-38.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.4K

$2,474 $2,474

61.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$111.8K

$2,179 $2,179

204.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

$5,948 $5,948

-87.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.09

88.01%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Arlington, KY: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $1,560 in Arlington, KY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arlington, KY pays 694% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $78.0 in Arlington, KY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $452 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

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

Playa del Carmen and Arlington, KY differ by about 103% in total monthly costs ($1,293 vs $2,627 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 694% lower in Arlington, KY. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,560 in Arlington, KY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 63% higher in Arlington, KY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,627 in Arlington, KY – a 103% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,627 in Arlington, KY, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Arlington, KY. 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 103% less than in Arlington, KY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.