Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $3,776 in Redmond, WA, rent and utilities included – about $30,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

183

Cost of Living Index in Redmond, WA
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Redmond, WA Living Index
58

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Redmond, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,776

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Redmond, WA and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Redmond, WA and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,776 per month in Redmond, WA vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Redmond, WA $3,776
Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $5,219 per month in Redmond, WA vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Redmond, WA $5,219
Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $6,662 per month in Redmond, WA vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Redmond, WA $6,662
Playa del Carmen $2,959

Redmond, WA costs about 214% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Redmond, WA sits 177% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.56 $24.56

$10.92 MX$205

124.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.3 $80.3

$43.37 MX$814

85.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.20 $12.20

$11.78 MX$221

3.57%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$3.81 MX$71.5

48.29%

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

$3.20 $3.20

$1.28 MX$24.07

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$0.78 MX$14.70

228.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.08 $7.08

$3.17 MX$59.5

123.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.85 $6.85

$4.93 MX$92.7

38.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.41 MX$26.40

-18.44%

White Bread (500g)

$5.06 $5.06

$2.22 MX$41.62

127.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.89 $5.89

$1.42 MX$26.61

314.79%

Eggs

$5.60 $5.60

$2.52 MX$47.36

122.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.10 $16.10

$7.26 MX$136

121.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.74 $15.74

$7.70 MX$144

104.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.47 $23.47

$12.69 MX$238

84.95%

Apples (1kg)

$5.98 $5.98

$2.78 MX$52.3

115.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.37 MX$25.68

42.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.09 $4.09

$2.55 MX$47.89

60.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$2.12 MX$39.86

121.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.94 MX$36.39

37.11%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.89 MX$35.41

60.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.15 MX$21.53

55.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 $3.21

$1.18 MX$22.13

172.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.36 $12.36

$4.30 MX$80.6

187.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

$9.95 MX$187

47.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.58 MX$29.73

11.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 $4.92

$2.67 MX$50.1

84.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$0.55 MX$10.39

454.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.7 $99.7

$26.62 MX$500

274.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 $2.63

$4.97 MX$93.3

-47.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 $1.73

$3.33 MX$62.5

-48.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.01 $30.01

$5.36 MX$101

459.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.44 MX$27.11

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

$28.3K $28.3K

$20.7K MX$388.0K

36.92%

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

$27.0K $27.0K

$23.5K MX$440.5K

14.90%

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

$305 $305

$84.8 MX$1,592

259.42%

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

$62.9 $62.9

$23.41 MX$439

168.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.5 $85.5

$28.66 MX$538

198.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.5 $59.5

$57.1 MX$1,071

4.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.28 $41.28

$28.91 MX$543

42.79%

Cinema Ticket

$17.87 $17.87

$5.14 MX$96.5

247.67%

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

$2,697 $2,697

$207 MX$3,878

1205.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.5K $30.5K

$3,927 MX$73.7K

677.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.5 $68.5

$43.35 MX$814

58.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.5 $55.5

$41.44 MX$778

33.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 $90.7

$74.2 MX$1,393

22.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 $127

$89.3 MX$1,676

42.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,613 $2,613

$980 MX$18.4K

166.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,082 $2,082

$381 MX$7,150

446.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,162 $4,162

$1,708 MX$32.1K

143.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,020 $3,020

$1,075 MX$20.2K

180.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,289 $6,289

$3,943 MX$74.0K

59.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,748 $5,748

$6,158 MX$115.6K

-6.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,391 $9,391

$735 MX$13.8K

1178.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

11.45

-42.01%

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

Last update for Redmond, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Redmond, WA

$2.1K 55.2%

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6% 81.7% $1.7K

Groceries & Markets

Redmond, WA

$495 13.1%

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2% 48.5% $240

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Redmond, WA

$453 12%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4% 69.8% $316

Eating Out

Redmond, WA

$373 9.9%

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8% 45.7% $171

Clothing & Footwear

Redmond, WA

$154 4.1%

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3% 27.4% $42

Getting Around

Redmond, WA

$123 3.3%

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2% 59.1% $73

Sport & Entertainment

Redmond, WA

$95 2.5%

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6% 29.3% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,613 in Redmond, WA versus $980 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Redmond, WA are about 13 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80 in Redmond, WA versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $495 vs $255 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Redmond, WA

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

13:38 1:38 PM

16:38 4:38 PM

3 h ahead of Redmond, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

73,256

149,923

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

100 MXN = 5.33 USD

100 MXN = 4.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

MXN to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Redmond, WA Playa del Carmen 4,340 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Redmond, WA
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Redmond, WA vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Redmond, WA is pricier by about 214%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,663 per month in Redmond, WA and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $980 there versus $2,613 in Redmond, WA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,776 in Redmond, WA and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. That makes Playa del Carmen about 68% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 73% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Redmond, WA at $3,776. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Redmond, WA 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 or specific career opportunities are the priority, Redmond, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.