🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $575 in Kampong Chhnang versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $926 in Kampong Chhnang versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,277 in Kampong Chhnang versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Living in Kampong Chhnang costs roughly 55% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Kampong Chhnang57% lower, Playa del Carmen4% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kampong Chhnang
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.08៛20.5K
$11.94MX$208
-57.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$30.20៛121.7K
$42.75MX$744
-29.36%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.06៛28.4K
$10.59MX$184
-33.33%
Cappuccino
$2.53៛10.2K
$3.62MX$63.0
-30.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99៛3,998
$1.47MX$25.54
-32.65%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.02៛4,129
$0.94MX$16.41
8.51%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.49៛5,996
$3.09MX$53.8
-51.78%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54៛10.2K
$4.46MX$77.6
-43.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kampong Chhnang
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.16៛8,690
$1.43MX$24.80
51.05%
White Bread(500g)
$1.53៛6,160
$1.88MX$32.79
-18.62%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.01៛4,054
$1.63MX$28.34
-38.04%
Eggs
$1.76៛7,101
$2.64MX$45.99
-33.33%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.91៛52.0K
$8.21MX$143
57.25%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.10៛16.5K
$8.29MX$144
-50.54%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.20៛41.1K
$11.10MX$193
-8.11%
Apples(1kg)
$1.15៛4,621
$2.65MX$46.14
-56.60%
Banana(1kg)
$1.53៛6,170
$1.50MX$26.11
2.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.89៛15.7K
$1.99MX$34.59
95.48%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.53៛6,156
$2.08MX$36.13
-26.44%
Potato(1kg)
$1.68៛6,759
$1.79MX$31.11
-6.15%
Onion(1kg)
$1.24៛4,982
$2.18MX$37.87
-43.12%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.46៛5,874
$1.08MX$18.73
35.19%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.68៛2,734
$1.04MX$18.04
-34.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.95៛7,863
$3.97MX$69.1
-50.88%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.91៛48.0K
$10.20MX$178
16.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.06៛4,258
$1.73MX$30.04
-38.73%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64៛6,608
$2.50MX$43.46
-34.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Kampong Chhnang
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$0.52MX$9.02
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$26.97MX$469
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.08៛4,342
$3.14MX$54.7
-65.61%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.03៛4,138
$2.40MX$41.80
-57.08%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.61៛18.6K
$3.09MX$53.7
49.19%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.14៛4,585
$1.27MX$22.16
-10.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$49.6K៛200.0M
$30.9KMX$537.3K
60.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.4K៛146.8M
$23.3KMX$405.7K
56.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kampong Chhnang
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$104៛418.8K
$82.0MX$1,427
26.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.17៛24.9K
$22.45MX$391
-72.52%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.14៛93.3K
$29.66MX$516
-21.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kampong Chhnang
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$51.9MX$903
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.67MX$325
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.56៛18.4K
$4.97MX$86.5
-8.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kampong Chhnang
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$371៛1.5M
$198MX$3,442
87.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.6K៛46.7M
$5,273MX$91.7K
119.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kampong Chhnang
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$21.74៛87.6K
$36.34MX$632
-40.18%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$22.57៛91.0K
$40.05MX$697
-43.65%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$89.3៛359.7K
$79.9MX$1,390
11.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.2៛291.0K
$88.9MX$1,547
-18.76%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kampong Chhnang
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$963MX$16.8K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$465MX$8,086
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,596MX$27.8K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,209MX$21.0K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,942MX$68.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$6,448MX$112.2K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kampong Chhnang
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$720MX$12.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.3
11.42
-9.81%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Kampong Chhnang: April 28, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $30.00 in Kampong Chhnang vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $251 per month, with Kampong Chhnang 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
Kampong Chhnang vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Kampong Chhnang and Playa del Carmen?
Kampong Chhnang and Playa del Carmen differ by about 124% in total monthly costs ($575 vs $1,287 including rent). Kampong Chhnang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Kampong Chhnang compared to Playa del Carmen?
You'd need roughly $863 in Kampong Chhnang and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen 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.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Kampong Chhnang and Playa del Carmen?
Childcare runs $371 in Kampong Chhnang versus $198 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Kampong Chhnang – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $575 in Kampong Chhnang versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kampong Chhnang but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Kampong Chhnang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Kampong Chhnang and Playa del Carmen?
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.
Is Kampong Chhnang or Playa del Carmen safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Kampong Chhnang 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.
Where should expats move: Kampong Chhnang or Playa del Carmen?
Expats usually find Kampong Chhnang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 124% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Kampong Chhnang vs other spots: cost of living compared