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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $497 in Kabul versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $680 in Kabul versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $864 in Kabul versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Kabul costs roughly 62% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kabul 64% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 ؋181

$11.96 MX$203

-76.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$7.70 ؋495

$47.38 MX$804

-83.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.45 ؋286

$11.75 MX$199

-62.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ؋144

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ؋119

Cappuccino

$1.11 ؋71.2

$4.12 MX$70.0

-73.06%

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

$0.48 ؋30.89

$1.40 MX$23.74

-65.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 ؋8.39

$0.91 MX$15.48

-85.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 ؋56.5

$1.68 MX$28.44

-47.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.23 ؋14.76

$2.15 MX$36.48

-89.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 ؋115

$1.77 MX$30.10

0.56%

Eggs

$1.58 ؋102

$2.82 MX$47.76

-43.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.23 ؋272

$9.20 MX$156

-54.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.99 ؋256

$9.23 MX$157

-56.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.55 ؋421

$12.64 MX$214

-48.18%

Apples (1kg)

$0.73 ؋46.78

$2.95 MX$50.1

-75.25%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 ؋57.9

$1.58 MX$26.79

-43.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.95 ؋61.1

$2.22 MX$37.70

-57.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.54 ؋34.50

$2.36 MX$40.09

-77.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 ؋40.17

$1.99 MX$33.81

-68.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 ؋32.83

$1.98 MX$33.58

-74.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.28 ؋17.78

$1.24 MX$21.04

-77.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 ؋23.09

$1.21 MX$20.55

-70.25%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.86 ؋119

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ؋47.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 ؋67.2

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.43 ؋156

$4.60 MX$78.1

-47.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.13 ؋8.43

$0.60 MX$10.22

-78.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.53 ؋1,320

$29.70 MX$504

-30.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 ؋136

$5.24 MX$88.8

-59.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 ؋30.93

$3.65 MX$61.9

-86.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 ؋171

$5.78 MX$98.1

-53.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 ؋63.4

$1.54 MX$26.09

-35.71%

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

$8,551 ؋549.8K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

-62.50%

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

$33.8K ؋2.2M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

31.05%

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

$42.79 ؋2,751

$90.7 MX$1,538

-52.81%

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

$12.63 ؋812

$25.19 MX$427

-49.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$97.8 ؋6,289

$31.75 MX$539

208.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.19 ؋720

$68.8 MX$1,167

-83.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ؋255

$29.37 MX$498

-86.48%

Cinema Ticket

$2.32 ؋149

$4.86 MX$82.5

-52.26%

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

$19.89 ؋1,279

$226 MX$3,828

-91.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,043 ؋67.0K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

-75.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.49 ؋675

$47.38 MX$804

-77.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.10 ؋1,035

$43.45 MX$737

-62.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.5 ؋3,695

$80.2 MX$1,361

-28.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.12 ؋1,615

$91.4 MX$1,550

-72.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$124 ؋7,996

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-88.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 ؋6,957

$409 MX$6,933

-73.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$216 ؋13.9K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-89.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$116 ؋7,462

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-90.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$688 ؋44.2K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-83.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$355 ؋22.8K

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-94.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$333 ؋21.4K

$773 MX$13.1K

-56.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Kabul: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $124 in Kabul and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 132% 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: $8.00 in Kabul vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $101 vs $278 per month, with Kabul 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

Kabul vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kabul and Playa del Carmen differ by about 163% in total monthly costs ($497 vs $1,305 including rent). Kabul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 132% lower in Playa del Carmen. 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: $124 in Kabul versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kabul runs roughly 45% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $19.89 in Kabul versus $226 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $497 in Kabul versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kabul but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Kabul 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.

Expats usually find Kabul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 163% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.