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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $536 per month in Kandana vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $866 per month in Kandana vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,196 per month in Kandana vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kandana is about 58% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kandana and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Kandana 60% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.94 LKR 1,257

$11.94 MX$209

-67.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.82 LKR 7,915

$42.75 MX$748

-41.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.24 LKR 2,627

$10.59 MX$185

-22.19%

Cappuccino

$2.64 LKR 841

$3.62 MX$63.4

-27.07%

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

$0.74 LKR 235

$1.47 MX$25.69

-49.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 120

$0.94 MX$16.51

-59.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 LKR 743

$3.09 MX$54.1

-24.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 LKR 1,038

$4.46 MX$78.0

-27.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 LKR 567

$1.43 MX$24.94

24.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 168

$1.88 MX$32.97

-71.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 255

$1.63 MX$28.50

-50.92%

Eggs

$2.18 LKR 696

$2.64 MX$46.26

-17.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.01 LKR 4,469

$8.21 MX$144

70.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.60 LKR 1,465

$8.29 MX$145

-44.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.83 LKR 2,498

$11.10 MX$194

-29.46%

Apples (1kg)

$7.55 LKR 2,407

$2.65 MX$46.40

184.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 355

$1.50 MX$26.26

-26.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.68 LKR 1,812

$1.99 MX$34.79

185.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 LKR 386

$2.08 MX$36.33

-41.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 354

$1.79 MX$31.29

-37.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 LKR 437

$2.18 MX$38.09

-37.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 384

$1.08 MX$18.84

11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 191

$1.04 MX$18.15

-42.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.23 LKR 3,262

$3.97 MX$69.5

157.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.68 LKR 4,045

$10.20 MX$179

24.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 LKR 646

$1.73 MX$30.22

17.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 LKR 912

$2.50 MX$43.71

14.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 123

$3.14 MX$55.0

-87.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 112

$2.40 MX$42.04

-85.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 185

$3.09 MX$54.0

-81.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 LKR 388

$1.27 MX$22.28

-3.94%

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

$26.5K LKR 8.5M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-14.09%

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

$34.8K LKR 11.1M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

49.29%

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

$61.1 LKR 19.5K

$82.0 MX$1,435

-25.52%

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

$4.42 LKR 1,411

$22.45 MX$393

-80.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.36 LKR 4,897

$29.66 MX$519

-48.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$3.31 LKR 1,054

$4.97 MX$87.0

-33.40%

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

$36.31 LKR 11.6K

$198 MX$3,462

-81.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$446 LKR 142.1K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-91.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.14 LKR 8,655

$36.34 MX$636

-25.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.00 LKR 6,060

$40.05 MX$701

-52.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.4 LKR 22.4K

$79.9 MX$1,398

-11.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.98 LKR 12.4K

$88.9 MX$1,555

-56.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

11.42

44.05%

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

Last update for Kandana: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Kandana versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $256 in Kandana vs $251 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 140%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $804 per month in Kandana and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $536 in Kandana and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $36.31 per month in Kandana and $198 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kandana, where all-in costs run around $536, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Kandana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kandana – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kandana. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.