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 $533 per month in Kandana vs $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $853 per month in Kandana vs $2,189 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,173 per month in Kandana vs $3,084 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kandana is about 59% 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 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 LKR 1,357

$11.73 MX$204

-65.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.03 LKR 8,347

$41.78 MX$725

-40.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.32 LKR 2,775

$10.41 MX$181

-20.08%

Cappuccino

$2.77 LKR 923

$3.61 MX$62.6

-23.27%

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

$0.68 LKR 226

$1.46 MX$25.28

-53.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 135

$0.97 MX$16.84

-58.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 LKR 785

$2.92 MX$50.8

-19.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 LKR 1,145

$4.62 MX$80.2

-25.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 LKR 587

$1.43 MX$24.80

23.08%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 172

$1.90 MX$32.98

-72.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 LKR 284

$1.57 MX$27.18

-45.86%

Eggs

$2.19 LKR 729

$2.64 MX$45.73

-17.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.81 LKR 4,608

$8.44 MX$146

63.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.75 LKR 1,584

$8.58 MX$149

-44.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.93 LKR 2,646

$11.00 MX$191

-27.91%

Apples (1kg)

$7.26 LKR 2,422

$2.70 MX$46.91

168.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 367

$1.51 MX$26.15

-27.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.63 LKR 1,878

$1.91 MX$33.22

194.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 LKR 403

$2.17 MX$37.69

-44.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 369

$1.87 MX$32.53

-40.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 LKR 471

$2.23 MX$38.76

-36.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 402

$1.08 MX$18.76

11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 LKR 197

$1.07 MX$18.63

-44.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.03 LKR 3,347

$4.16 MX$72.2

141.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.77 LKR 4,261

$10.29 MX$179

24.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 LKR 668

$1.68 MX$29.20

19.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 LKR 946

$2.53 MX$43.96

12.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.61

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 137

$3.20 MX$55.5

-87.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 LKR 108

$2.46 MX$42.73

-86.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 LKR 205

$3.20 MX$55.5

-80.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 419

$1.32 MX$22.91

-4.55%

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

$26.4K LKR 8.8M

$30.2K MX$523.3K

-12.50%

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

$34.5K LKR 11.5M

$23.4K MX$406.0K

47.41%

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

$60.0 LKR 20.0K

$81.4 MX$1,412

-26.28%

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

$4.22 LKR 1,406

$22.41 MX$389

-81.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.33 LKR 5,115

$29.97 MX$520

-48.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

Cinema Ticket

$3.25 LKR 1,085

$5.16 MX$89.6

-37.02%

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

$37.27 LKR 12.4K

$202 MX$3,501

-81.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$448 LKR 149.3K

$5,311 MX$92.2K

-91.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.99 LKR 9,336

$35.61 MX$618

-21.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.71 LKR 6,573

$40.37 MX$701

-51.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.7 LKR 23.6K

$78.6 MX$1,365

-10.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.26 LKR 13.1K

$86.9 MX$1,507

-54.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,298

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$28.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.7K

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: June 16, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Kandana versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $255 in Kandana vs $254 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 143%, 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 $800 per month in Kandana and $1,941 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 $533 in Kandana and $1,294 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $37.27 per month in Kandana and $202 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 $533, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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.