Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Kingstown Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Kingstown

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,321 in Kingstown, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,979 in Kingstown, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,637 in Kingstown, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 4% cheaper than Kingstown, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kingstown are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Kingstown 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$6.51 EC$17.59

78.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$37.44 EC$101

25.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$10.73 EC$28.96

10.72%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$4.17 EC$11.27

-4.56%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$2.28 EC$6.15

-37.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$1.90 EC$5.14

-56.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.71 EC$4.61

86.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.19 EC$5.91

210.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$3.12 EC$8.42

-46.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.19 EC$5.92

0.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.42 EC$3.83

20.42%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$4.54 EC$12.26

-39.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$12.72 EC$34.33

-24.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.07 EC$10.99

121.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$11.97 EC$32.31

7.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$9.39 EC$25.34

-69.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$3.49 EC$9.43

-57.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$9.85 EC$26.58

-78.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$6.00 EC$16.21

-62.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$3.75 EC$10.14

-47.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$3.94 EC$10.64

-49.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.75 EC$7.43

-55.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$2.18 EC$5.87

-44.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$3.98 EC$10.74

14.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$16.84 EC$45.48

-38.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$2.79 EC$7.54

-41.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.46 EC$6.64

17.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$1.18 EC$3.17

-49.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$50.6 EC$137

-43.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$10.94 EC$29.53

-50.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.87 EC$5.06

99.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$29.62 EC$80.0

-80.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$3.07 EC$8.29

-49.84%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$38.5K EC$104.1K

-41.49%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$30.9K EC$83.4K

-15.61%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$74.8 EC$202

22.20%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$34.13 EC$92.1

-26.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$51.6 EC$139

-39.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$31.82 EC$85.9

111.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$4.74 EC$12.79

514.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$4.62 EC$12.46

5.19%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$107 EC$288

109.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$65.6 EC$177

-28.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$61.4 EC$166

-27.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$73.0 EC$197

9.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$92.9 EC$251

-0.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$282 EC$760

277.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$328 EC$885

19.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$554 EC$1,495

288.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$477 EC$1,289

166.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$586 EC$1,582

582.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$599 EC$1,618

984.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$1,041 EC$2,811

-27.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

7.5

52.67%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Kingstown: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $282 in Kingstown. 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 37% higher in Kingstown, 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $37.00 in Kingstown. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $417 in Kingstown – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Kingstown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kingstown is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,981 in Kingstown. 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.

Public transport costs about 76% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $107 in Kingstown. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Kingstown at $1,321. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kingstown it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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