Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Lacey, WA Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Lacey, WA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,594 in Lacey, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,823 in Lacey, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,053 in Lacey, WA.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 51% less than in Lacey, WA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 7% below, Lacey, WA is 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$24.53 $24.53

-52.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$68.7 $68.7

-31.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$13.12 $13.12

-9.45%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$6.08 $6.08

-34.54%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$3.96 $3.96

-63.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$2.51 $2.51

-67.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$8.23 $8.23

-61.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$10.03 $10.03

-32.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.09 $1.09

54.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$4.44 $4.44

-50.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$2.78 $2.78

-38.49%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$5.11 $5.11

-46.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$14.85 $14.85

-35.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$10.62 $10.62

-15.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$10.95 $10.95

16.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$5.32 $5.32

-45.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.63 $1.63

-7.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$4.01 $4.01

-46.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$4.32 $4.32

-47.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$2.35 $2.35

-15.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.47 $2.47

-19.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.31 $2.31

-46.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.97 $1.97

-39.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$12.10 $12.10

-62.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$15.14 $15.14

-31.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$2.08 $2.08

-22.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.40 $2.40

20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$1.99 $1.99

-69.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$5.13 $5.13

5.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$2.68 $2.68

39.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$51.7 $51.7

-88.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.31 $1.31

17.56%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$36.3K $36.3K

-37.84%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$25.3K $25.3K

2.90%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$157 $157

-41.64%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$53.1 $53.1

-52.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$94.7 $94.7

-67.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$41.53 $41.53

61.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$12.68 $12.68

-61.67%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$1,465 $1,465

-84.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$49.2K $49.2K

-91.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$44.74 $44.74

5.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$36.76 $36.76

20.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$90.5 $90.5

-11.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$100 $100

-7.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$1,611 $1,611

-34.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$1,321 $1,321

-70.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$2,525 $2,525

-14.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$2,160 $2,160

-41.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$2,702 $2,702

48.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$2,423 $2,423

168.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$4,164 $4,164

-81.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.03

89.88%

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 Lacey, WA: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $1,611 in Lacey, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lacey, WA pays 449% 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 $69.0 in Lacey, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $382 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 Lacey, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 105% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 449% lower in Lacey, WA. 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: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,611 in Lacey, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $224 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,465 in Lacey, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $69.0 in Lacey, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,594 in Lacey, WA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Lacey, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lacey, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Lacey, WA 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 105% less than in Lacey, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.