KingstonvsPlaya del Carmen
💰 Cost of Living Breakdown
Monthly expenses comparison in USD
Expense
Kingston
Playa del Carmen
Total Budget
$1,800/mo
$1,700/mo ✓
Rent (1BR)
$650/mo
$600/mo ✓
Coworking
$200/mo
$180/mo ✓
Meal Out
$5 ✓
$6
Coffee
$3.5
$3 ✓
Playa del Carmen is $100/mo cheaper (6% savings)
💻 Remote Work Essentials
Internet, timezone, and language comparison
🌍 Kingston
📶 Internet35 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC-5
🗣️ Englishhigh
🛂 Nomad VisaNot available
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West8h
🇺🇸 US East8h
🇬🇧 London6h
🇩🇪 Berlin5h
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
📶 Internet50 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC-6
🗣️ Englishhigh
🛂 Nomad VisaNot available
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West8h
🇺🇸 US East8h
🇬🇧 London5h
🇩🇪 Berlin4h
🌡️ Climate Comparison
Weather patterns and best times to visit
Kingston
ClimateTropical Wet
Avg Temp26°C
Rainy Days229/year
Best months: January, February
Playa del Carmen
ClimateTropical Wet
Avg Temp27°C
Rainy Days164/year
Best months: February, March, April, May
Quarterly Temperatures
Jan
24°24°
Apr
25°27°
Jul
27°29°
Oct
26°27°
KingstonPlaya del Carmen
📊 Full Comparison
Category
🌍Kingston
🇲🇽Playa del Carmen
💰
Monthly Budget
$1,800
$1,700
📶
Internet Speed
35 Mbps
50 Mbps
Winner🛡️
Safety
2.8/5
3.3/5
Winner⭐
Nomad Score
3.6/10
3.9/10
🍽️
Food Scene
8/10
8/10
🎉
Nightlife
7/10
9/10
Winner🚶
Walkability
5/10
8/10
Winner👥
Community
small
large
Winner0
Kingston wins
vs
5
Playa del Carmen wins
Which City is Right for You?
Recommendations based on your nomad style
💵Budget Nomad
Either works
Similar costs - choose based on other factors
💻Developer
Either works
Both have adequate internet for development work
🦋Social Butterfly
Playa del Carmen
Larger nomad community for networking
🛡️Safety-First
Playa del Carmen
Significantly higher safety rating
🍜Foodie
Either works
Both have great food scenes
🎉Party Person
Playa del Carmen
World-famous nightlife scene
🌍Kingston
Pros
- +Birthplace of reggae music and rich cultural heritage
- +English-speaking country with friendly locals
- +Famous Blue Mountain coffee experiences
- +Vibrant nightlife and live music scene
Cons
- −Safety concerns in certain downtown areas
- −Limited coworking space options compared to major cities
- −Internet reliability can be inconsistent
- −High crime rates in specific neighborhoods
🇲🇽Playa del Carmen
Pros
- +Caribbean beach paradise with turquoise waters
- +Same timezone as US East Coast (GMT-5)
- +Huge international digital nomad community
- +Easy 180-day tourist visa on arrival
Cons
- −Sargassum seaweed problem on beaches
- −Tourist trap pricing on 5th Avenue
- −Police corruption and scams reported
- −Cartel presence though tourists rarely affected
