Cost of Living Comparison Between Kahului, HI and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Kahului, HI and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,899 in Kahului, HI versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,657 in Kahului, HI versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,415 in Kahului, HI versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Kahului, HI is roughly 201% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kahului, HI is 184% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$48.67 $48.67

$11.71 MX$198

315.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.7 $73.7

$46.59 MX$788

58.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.76 $18.76

$11.65 MX$197

61.03%

Cappuccino

$7.09 $7.09

$4.09 MX$69.2

73.35%

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

$2.84 $2.84

$1.37 MX$23.23

107.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 $3.60

$0.83 MX$14.09

333.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.86 $4.86

$3.35 MX$56.7

45.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 $7.35

$6.91 MX$117

6.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.73 MX$29.20

-16.76%

White Bread (500g)

$6.96 $6.96

$2.26 MX$38.21

207.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.94 $8.94

$1.77 MX$29.91

405.08%

Eggs

$6.48 $6.48

$2.73 MX$46.19

137.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.84 $8.84

$9.18 MX$155

-3.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.56 $15.56

$8.92 MX$151

74.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.06 $20.06

$12.60 MX$213

59.21%

Apples (1kg)

$12.92 $12.92

$3.02 MX$51.1

327.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.57 MX$26.55

78.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

Tomato (1kg)

$13.80 $13.80

$2.26 MX$38.28

510.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 $6.15

$2.88 MX$48.70

113.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.57 MX$9.69

254.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.48 $45.48

$29.83 MX$504

52.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.47 $35.47

$5.98 MX$101

493.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.55 MX$26.26

-16.77%

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

$39.4K $39.4K

$22.3K MX$377.4K

76.34%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

0.65%

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

$287 $287

$89.1 MX$1,507

221.60%

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

$68.6 $68.6

$25.04 MX$423

174.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.7 $52.7

$31.50 MX$532

67.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

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

$225 MX$3,803

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 $55.1

$47.44 MX$802

16.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.14 $40.14

$44.98 MX$760

-10.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 $96.8

$82.0 MX$1,386

18.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 $124

$92.1 MX$1,557

34.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,342 $2,342

$1,069 MX$18.1K

118.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,295 $2,295

$405 MX$6,852

466.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,912 $3,912

$1,935 MX$32.7K

102.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,765 $3,765

$1,301 MX$22.0K

189.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.9K $11.9K

$3,995 MX$67.5K

197.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.6K $11.6K

$6,626 MX$112.0K

75.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,727 $4,727

$749 MX$12.7K

531.36%

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 Kahului, HI: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,342 in Kahului, HI and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kahului, HI pays 531% 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: $74.0 in Kahului, HI vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $473 vs $277 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

Kahului, HI vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 201% lower than in Kahului, HI. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 531% higher in Kahului, HI, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,342 in Kahului, HI versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 71% higher in Kahului, HI. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,899 per month in Kahului, HI versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 201% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,899 in Kahului, HI, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Kahului, HI. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,293 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Kahului, HI and Playa del Carmen 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 201% less than in Kahului, HI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.