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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,288 in Lakewood, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,846 in Lakewood, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $6,404 in Lakewood, WA.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 62% less than in Lakewood, WA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 7% below, Lakewood, WA is 140% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$18.07 $18.07

-35.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$67.8 $67.8

-30.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$11.17 $11.17

6.36%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$4.73 $4.73

-15.86%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$2.57 $2.57

-44.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$2.14 $2.14

-61.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$3.92 $3.92

-18.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$5.85 $5.85

16.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.30 $1.30

29.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$4.53 $4.53

-51.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$3.22 $3.22

-46.89%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$5.06 $5.06

-45.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$15.13 $15.13

-36.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$8.75 $8.75

2.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$11.24 $11.24

13.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$4.51 $4.51

-35.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$2.22 $2.22

-32.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$3.91 $3.91

-45.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$4.08 $4.08

-44.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$2.14 $2.14

-7.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$2.19 $2.19

-9.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$2.04 $2.04

-39.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$3.16 $3.16

-62.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$12.37 $12.37

-63.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$15.82 $15.82

-34.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.78 $1.78

-8.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$3.30 $3.30

-12.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$1.95 $1.95

-69.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$204 $204

-85.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$2.05 $2.05

162.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.65 $0.65

473.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$28.77 $28.77

-79.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.36 $1.36

13.24%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$35.1K $35.1K

-35.80%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$25.9K $25.9K

0.49%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$348 $348

-73.72%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$61.8 $61.8

-59.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$85.0 $85.0

-63.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$41.90 $41.90

60.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$24.92 $24.92

16.81%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$19.68 $19.68

-75.30%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$2,038 $2,038

-89.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$22.2K $22.2K

-80.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$66.2 $66.2

-28.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$38.01 $38.01

16.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$101 $101

-20.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$149 $149

-37.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$1,970 $1,970

-46.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$1,730 $1,730

-77.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$3,335 $3,335

-35.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$3,114 $3,114

-59.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$2,594 $2,594

54.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$2,425 $2,425

168.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.1

87.70%

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 Lakewood, WA: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $1,970 in Lakewood, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $68.0 in Lakewood, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $390 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 Lakewood, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Lakewood, WA differ by about 160% in total monthly costs ($1,266 vs $3,288 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,899 in Playa del Carmen and $4,932 in Lakewood, WA to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,970 in Lakewood, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $68.0 in Lakewood, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $3,288 in Lakewood, WA – a 160% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,288 in Lakewood, WA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Lakewood, WA. 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.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Lakewood, 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 160% less than in Lakewood, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.