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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,558 in Arlington, VA, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,438 in Arlington, VA, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,318 in Arlington, VA, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 64% cheaper than Arlington, VA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Arlington, VA is 166% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$24.71 $24.71

-52.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$89.8 $89.8

-53.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$11.80 $11.80

-9.83%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$5.71 $5.71

-38.35%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$2.96 $2.96

-48.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$2.63 $2.63

-63.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$7.82 $7.82

-62.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$8.77 $8.77

-49.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.20 $1.20

15.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$4.24 $4.24

-55.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$7.05 $7.05

-76.74%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$4.45 $4.45

-43.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$17.44 $17.44

-52.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$15.01 $15.01

-44.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$21.16 $21.16

-49.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$6.00 $6.00

-56.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.10 $2.10

-30.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$5.21 $5.21

-63.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$5.95 $5.95

-65.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$3.57 $3.57

-50.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$3.34 $3.34

-34.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$2.70 $2.70

-61.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$2.44 $2.44

-55.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$12.73 $12.73

-67.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$16.89 $16.89

-38.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.96 $1.96

-12.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$4.15 $4.15

-37.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$3.58 $3.58

-85.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$123 $123

-78.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$3.06 $3.06

6.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.53 $1.53

62.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$21.73 $21.73

-85.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.88 $0.88

48.86%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$30.3K $30.3K

-0.14%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$25.3K $25.3K

-7.35%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$210 $210

-60.56%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$60.1 $60.1

-63.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$72.2 $72.2

-59.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$77.2 $77.2

-33.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$23.93 $23.93

-23.44%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$15.18 $15.18

-66.60%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$2,044 $2,044

-90.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$40.6K $40.6K

-87.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$56.5 $56.5

-34.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$50.3 $50.3

-20.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$94.8 $94.8

-17.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$141 $141

-38.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$2,426 $2,426

-59.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$1,884 $1,884

-75.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$4,268 $4,268

-61.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$3,611 $3,611

-66.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$5,732 $5,732

-31.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$4,600 $4,600

41.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$6,663 $6,663

-90.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.55

74.35%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Arlington, VA: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,426 in Arlington, VA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 904% higher in Arlington, VA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $90.0 in Arlington, VA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $494 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arlington, VA costs about 174% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,337 in Arlington, VA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 98% more in Arlington, VA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $90.0 in Arlington, VA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Arlington, VA at $3,558. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arlington, VA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,297 versus $3,558 in Arlington, VA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Arlington, VA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.